The Wall
by GoalieGirl00
Summary: What was supposed to be the worst year of Dan's life turns out to be the best. After quickly making new friends and soaring to the top of his soccer team, Dan's life quickly changes into a rollcoaster of ups and downs. Rated T for language. Please review!
1. Pompus Boarding School

CHAPTER 1 POMPUS BOARDING SCHOOL

Dan sat at the end of the drive-way, his hands around his knees. He was angry. Why were his parents making him go to this pompous boarding school after making him move for the eighth time in his life last year? For once he had actually felt at home here in Las Vegas, at his public middle school. He had friends and he was MVP _and_ captain of the boy's soccer team. He was so angry, he was still fuming over the fight he'd had with his parent's yesterday morning.

Dan was fourteen-years-old, pretty tall, and pretty skinny. He had recently graduated from Sunny Hill Middle School located in the more suburban area of Las Vegas, Nevada. He could walk or run to school before because it was so close. Now he had to _fly_ to _Winona, Minnesota _every August until he graduated from high school. Even worse, instead of getting done with school in early June, Dan found out that boarding school goes until the very _end _of June! A whole extra month in this torture chamber called St. Mary's.

Dan had jet black hair, which rippled like waves in the warm, gentle breeze, and shinning green eyes, which were watching the street before him. On the back of his neck, he could feel his parents watching him from behind the screen door of his Adobe-looking house.

Just then, Dan heard a car coming up the street. Sure enough, a bright yellow car with a white-plastic sign on top reading, "Taxi" came around the corner. Dan stood up and turned his head around to see his parents coming toward him. His mom looked pale and worried. _Why is _she _worried?_ Dan thought._ She's the one sending me to this school_. She's the one Dan got his eyes from, otherwise he looked exactly like his dad, who, had gone to help the cab driver load Dan's things in the trunk of the Taxi.

Dan's mom came over to him, hugged him, and whispered into his ear, "Be good," before handing him his plane tickets. Dan knew the only reason she said that was because she knew that he was angry at them and that he didn't want to go to this school.

"All right," called Dan's dad as he closed the trunk. "It's all loaded and ready to go. Now you," he pointed at Dan, "be good."

_How many times am I going to have to hear this? _Dan thought. His dad grinned before pulling his son into a one-arm-hug, saying, "Now get outta here." He gave Dan a little shove. Dan didn't even try to force a smile. He glared at his parents for a minute before ducking into the cab and closing the door on them.

"You ready to go?" asked the cab driver.

"Yeah," Dan mumbled back.

Dan sat quietly in the back seat the entire drive, with his canvas colored, school bag containing his brand new laptop computer. In the trunk of the cab was a huge Navy blue suitcase that held all of the clothes he'd need for the next ten months. Lying on top of all his normal clothes and some dress clothes were four, newly ironed, St. Mary's uniforms, ready for school on September first.

Next to that was a navy blue, black, and gray duffel bag and backpack. Inside those two were things Dan also needed for school like his toothbrush and other needs. Any thing he couldn't fit or bring along he could have his parents send later.

"We're here." said the cab driver as they pulled up to the airport drop-off. When they stopped the car, the cab driver got out, opened the trunk, and started to take out Dan's luggage as Dan got out of the car. He looked around at the airport. It was very busy. People were running around trying to make their flights.

"Here you go," said the cab driver setting Dan's luggage next to him.

"Thanks." Dan mumbled again as the cab driver climbed into the taxi.

"No problem," he called back as he waved good-bye. Dan lifted his hand a little and watched the cab until it disappeared down the road. Then he hoisted his backpack, duffel bag and school bag onto his shoulders and grabbed the handle of his suitcase. He wheeled it into the airport where they put it and his duffel bag onto a conveyer belt which led to a cart that took them to the airplane. Dan, then, headed off to the waiting area after being searched with his two carry-on bags, his backpack and his school bag.

Once he got to his gate, Dan sat in one of the blue-plastic, waiting area chairs, and listened to talk of the people and the many different noises coming from the small section of slot machines. After about fifteen minutes, Dan pulled out the dark red folder out of his school bag. He scanned the front of it and read the shinning gold lettering for about the fiftieth time.

_St. Mary's Academy_

Dan sighed._ They might as well have sent me to Britain, _thought Dan._ What kind of _American _sends their kid to boarding school?_

"St. Mary's?"

Dan looked toward the voice. Coming toward him, on his right side, was a boy, who looked about his age and about an inch taller than him. He had long bleach bond hair that was about two inches from his shoulders. He had sparkling, blue eyes and was carrying a dark green backpack and a school bag similar to Dan's. He sat down next to Dan, dropping his things on the floor next to him.

"Yeah," said Dan with a reluctant tone that the boy didn't notice.

"Cool," said the boy, "me too." They were quiet for a minute. The other boy broke the silence. "My name's Cody."

"Dan."

"So, do you live in Vegas?"

"Yeah, don't you?"

"Nah. I live in Virginia," said Cody

"Why are you here?" Dan asked. "If you're to St. Mary's, Vegas isn't exactly on the way."

"I was here for a soccer camp for the past two weeks," Cody explained. "It actually ended to days ago, but it was cheaper just to stay here and have my parents shipped my luggage here, then fly straight to St. Mary's. Cheaper is better when you have five kids."

"Five!"

"Yeah. Three older sisters and one twin sister."

"Yikes, I only have one, very annoying, little sister."

"Lucky," mumbled Cody. Dan couldn't help smiling a little.

"How old is she?" asked Cody.

"Twelve."

"Is she going to St. Mary's?"

"Yeah, but she's coming tomorrow. There was only one ticket available for the later flight so I graciously volunteered to go earlier," Dan said sarcastically.

Cody smiled and said, "So, this your first year at 'St. Mary's Academy.'"

"Yes," said Dan again, still with unnoticed reluctance.

"This is my fourth."

"What's it like?"

"A lot better than you think."

"So," said Dan bringing back his anger fueled sarcasm, "they got sports there?"

"Of course," said Cody.

"Really?" Dan was sure this place would be totally boring.

"Yeah… well actually, only soccer, but they're working on others."

"Wow, soccer is the only sport I play!"

"Soccer is one of my favorite sports. My friend and I switch sports every so often. There are very few sports we haven't at least tried."

"Were you on the school team?"

"The first two years they had one," Cody said proudly. "Ya see, since the beginning of time or headmasters all thought we didn't need sports, but after five years of torment from our rival school, St. Christopher's, our current headmaster decided that _maybe_ some 'competition,' would be good for the school and started a team for St. Christopher's headmaster's favorite sport, soccer."

"Nice," said Dan.

"Ya gotta love headmaster rivalry," said Cody as he leaned back in his chair and put his hands behind his head, smiling and looking proud of his competitive headmaster.

"Flight 228 with service to Lacrosse Municipal Airport, is now loading," said a lady over the intercom.

"Well," said Cody bending over to pick up his stuff, "that's us. We'd better go."

"Yeah," said Dan also bending over to pick his things up.

The two stood up and walked over to the long line of people waiting to board the plane. Eventually, Cody and Dan made it on to the plane and looked at their tickets.

"4A," said Cody reading his ticket. Soon, they got to row 4. It was near the front because the rows went in alphabetical order. In seats B and C (A nearest the window, B in the middle, C nearest the aisle), was a fat, old, wrinkled couple, bickering at each other. Enormous amounts of spit were flying from their mouths. Cody groaned while Dan tried desperately not to burst out laughing. Cody glared at him for a moment before squeezing past the couple to get to his seat.

When Cody was in his seat Dan walked on to his seat. "7E," he mumbled to himself. "7E, 7E, 7E, 7E. Here it is." He groaned just like Cody had as he looked at who was in seats 7D and F (D being nearest the aisle, E in the middle, F nearest the window). It was two eighteen-year-olds who were staring into each other eyes as if they were majestic oceans they wanted to dive into, which basically means, they were longing to make-out. Dan sighed as he squeezed into his seat. He looked extremely grumpy sitting between the couple, who kept trying bend over him to kiss each other or reaching behind him to try to hold hands, of course, Dan never allowed it. Cody looked the same way as the couple tried to use him as the mediator in their argument by asking him who was right and who was wrong. Every time they turned to him huge amounts of spit flew out of their mouths and slapped against the side of Cody's face.

When everyone was seated and the plane took off, Cody looked around. There were three rows of seats completely unoccupied in the very back. Finally he caught Dan's eye and nodded toward the three empty rows. Dan turned around to look before turning back and nodding back at Cody. As soon as the pilot announced over the intercom that they were "free to move around the cabin," the two stood up and scooted past their very rude row-mates. The couple in Dan's row looked relieved he'd left, through their arms around each other, and began to make-out. Dan couldn't help smiling when he thought to himself; _it looks like he's trying to eat her face._ Meanwhile, the couple in Cody's row continued to bicker. Dan and Cody made themselves comfortable in the very back row in seats D and F, Dan nearest the window.

"Disgusting," Cody said as he settled himself in the seat and wiped saliva off of his face. They talked for a long time. Mostly it was about soccer. Cody was really excited to hear about when Dan had gone to Germany and got to see the World Cup. It had been an, "I'm sorry we had to move again," pity gift from his parents.

They also found out they were in the same dorm room.

"Thank God," said Cody when he found out. "I was scared I have some creepy person."

After a long while, the intercom crackled to life and the pilot's voice began to echo throughout the plane. "We'll be landing in La Crosse shortly so would everybody please store all lose articles, put your trays in the upright and locked position, and buckle your seat belts. Thank You."

"Wow!" Dan exclaimed, with his nose pressed against his window. What he saw through the three layer thick, airplane window, was really, well, _green._ Below them were miles of farmland. It was difficult to make out the towns. As they got closer Dan saw the city of La Crosse. It seemed small for a city to Dan who had grown up near very large city's his entire life.

After the plane landed and Cody and Dan were in the airport, Cody pulled out his own, dark red, St. Mary's folder. "We're supposed to meet at the pickup area by the baggage claim," he said as his eyes scanned the papers for more possible information. There wasn't any, so they headed to the baggage claim. After waiting for what felt like forever, but was really only ten minutes, they had all their things.

"What's that?" said Dan pointing at an extra, smaller, bag Cody had grabbed.

"Sheets," he answered as he tried to pick it up with all his bags on his shoulders.

"Here," Dan said. He grabbed it, impatiently, and handed it to him.

"Thanks," said Cody.

"Why did you bring them? They look like a pain to me."

"'Cause you need 'em."

"What!" Dan exclaimed. "I didn't bring any! I'll need them tonight. My parents can't send me any that soon!"

"Chill out man," said Cody sounding like a surfer. "You can buy some in town." He had started to head for the door so Dan followed suit.

When they got out, Dan saw a group of high school kids sitting on the cement ground or on the low, garden wall. Also sitting on the wall, was a chubby man that Cody was walking towards. The man looked about in his forty's and was wearing a navy blue uniform with matching hat that resembled a "Maytag repairman" uniform. Dan guessed he was the bus driver. Cody walked up to the man.

"'Sup George."

Dan had to say that the man did look like a George.

"Hey Cody," George replied as he looked on a clipboard and checked off Cody's name. "You are?" he said looking up at Dan.

"Daniel Rattison."

George stood up to brush himself off after checking off Dan's name.

"Well," George said, "that's everybody. We can go." A dull cheer echoed amongst the teenagers as they too, stood up and brushed themselves off. Dan followed Cody up to the huge red and white bus parked on the street. Some of the people passing by in their cars looked angry at the fact that they had to squeeze by this monster.

Cody and Dan passed all their luggage, except their school bags, to George who put it in the low, storage place on the outside of the bus, before heading on to the bus.

It was a nice bus. One of those coach buses that have TV's hanging from the ceiling, the stuffed, comfy seats, and a bathroom in the back.

Cody had sat a few rows back from the front on the right side, the one not on the driver's side. Dan sat next to him. When everyone was on the bus Dan noticed the small group barley filled up half of the bus.

Soon enough, the bus pulled through the gates of St. Mary's campus. When the bus stopped, the driver stood up and told everyone to stay in their seats. Then he climbed out of the bus. Dan craned his neck so he could see out the window and over Cody. From the looks of it, George was getting their luggage out of the storage space below them, and putting it in a pile near the bus.

Dan watched George until he saw him wave at someone after he dropped a particularly large suitcase. Dan looked toward where George had waved and saw a man wearing a nice white suit with a blue button-up shirt under that and a plain red tie. The suit had no creases at all. Dan was amazed how the man could walk at all without creasing it. The man walked passed George and straight on to the bus. When he got on he stood at the front of the bus and put on a big smile as if he was trying to amuse five-year-olds. Dan noticed the man was tall, young, and had thick, wavy, dark brown hair that, even though there was a breeze, was still perfectly shaped.

"Hello," he said still wearing that big, kindergarten, smile. A chorus of dull "Hello's" rang back through the bus and one enthusiastic "'Sup" from a boy who looked to be Senior.

"Welcome or welcome back, to St. Mary's Academy," he said looking at happily at each one of the high school kids. "My name is Mr. Coop. I am the Dean of Students, which is a position known better as, the Vice Principal. Anybody who needs help with anything, just come to me. I'll be waiting outside for about 20 minutes, otherwise come see me in my office next to the headmasters. Thank you for time." With one last big smile he walked out and stationed himself right outside the bus.

"The last thing he said to us was the only thing that didn't make me feel like I was talking to my first-grade teacher," said Dan.

"I know," said Cody as he picked up his school bag. "He tends to be like that with anyone under the age of twenty-five."

There was a rustling sound as everybody on the bus stood up. When he got off of the bus, Dan looked at the St. Mary's campus. The campus was _huge._ All of the buildings were made of red brick. You could tell which ones were older because their bricks were dull, weathered and ivy crept up the sides like snakes. The closest building to the bus was one story but it had a tall clock tower that had a cross towering above it, that seemed to loom over them, cursing them for every sin they ever committed.

With great difficulty, Dan tore his eyes away from the cross and walked over to the big luggage pile with Cody. Every one of their bags slipped out like butter except Dan's huge suitcase. It was lodged under every other bag in the pile, and, try as they might, the boys couldn't even get the bag to wiggle.

"Need some help?"


	2. The Beginning

CHAPTER 2 THE BEGINNING

Dan spun around to see who had offered to help them, but when he saw who the voice belonged to, he froze. Standing there was a girl, barely shorter then Dan, with a mane of long, medium blond hair that went down to about mid-back. She had pulled the entire mass of the thick, low hanging pony-tail. She was wearing a dark red, spaghetti-strap tank-top with baggy, dark tan shorts that went down to her knees. It looked as if she had bought them in the boys section. She wasn't wearing any shoes and was sweating a little as if she had just been running. She was extremely muscular, especially for a girl, but not "over-muscular." Every inch of skin showing was pretty tan as if she had spent the entire summer wearing those clothes. She didn't even have a sock-line, so Dan assumed that she didn't wear shoes often. She had a wild, fierce look in her, deep, blue eyes that Dan had never seen in a girl-, actually he had never seen it in anybody's eye.

"Yeah."

Dan looked at Cody. He too had turned around, but unlike Dan, he had hung his head before mumbling his answer to the girl. He stepped aside to let her through.

When she was through, she put one hand on the handle of the suitcase and the opposite foot on the large suitcase next to it. Dan reached out to help but before he could, Cody through his arm across Dan's chest and pushed him back a few inches. Dan stared at curiously at Cody for a minute before turning his attention back to the girl.

With one good tug, the suitcase slipped out like grease. After pulling it out she set it down on the ground with a thump. Dan stared for a moment thinking; _that suitcase wasn't gonna move to save somebody's _life. _How on God's green earth did she get that to come out?_

"Thanks," Dan said eyeing her curiously.

"Don't mention it," she said before turning her attention on Cody. "So, you gonna introduce me to your friend?"

"You know her?!" said Dan turning to face Cody.

"Dan, Jess. Jess, Dan," Cody said quickly, still hanging his head.

"How?"

"She lives down the street from me. We've gone here together since 7th grade." His voice was a little stronger as he said this. "She was also on the boy's team with me last year

"You were on the boy's soccer team?" Dan asked curiously, turning to Jess.

"Cody'll tell you all about it." She bent over, picked up Cody's sheets, through them over her shoulder, and started walking away. Cody and Dan followed her.

Turns out, last year, Jess was on the first ever girls, St. Mary's soccer team. She said it was too easy and asked for a fair tryout for the boy's team. They laughed at her. So, she made a protest and they finally gave in. They gave her the tryout expecting to automatically say no afterward.

"They were begging on their knees for her to join after the tryout," Cody finished.

"Nice," said Dan. Apparently, Jess had some mad skills out on the soccer field. Dan should have seen it coming with leg muscles like those.

After that, Cody started bragging about all the stuff Dan had done to Jess. Jess smiled the entire time and said "Wow," "That's amazing," and "Cool," at all the right spots. Cody didn't notice the hint of sarcasm in her voice that Dan did. Dan wasn't offended, though. He would probably had difficulty staying awake if he was in her position because all of his "amazing stuff" wasn't that amazing, other than the World Cup.

As they were walking, Dan noticed a boy coming towards them, a tall boy with very dark brown hair, a white tank-top and basketball shorts.

"Hey Jess," he said when he walked up to them. All four of them had stopped.

"Hey Zach," she said. A wide grin spread across her face.

"I was just wondering if you were doing anything tomorrow?" he said.

"How many times am I gonna have to reject you before you take a hint?" Jess said not loosing her grin.

"I just keep asking hoping one day I'll get lucky," Zach grinned back at her.

Jess stepped around him and started walking away, while Dan and Cody hurried after her.

"There isn't enough luck in the world, Zach," Jess called back to him.

Dan looked back to see Zach smiling and shaking his head as he walked away.

"Somebody likes Jessy," Cody said in a sing-songy voice when Zach was out of earshot.

"Cody's gonna have a fat lip if he doesn't shut up!" said Jess in the same sing-songy voice only hers was a little more fierce. Dan couldn't help but notice how quiet Cody was after that.

"Here we are," said Cody barely a minute later. They were standing in front of Edward's Hall, one of the older buildings that had huge amounts of ivy covering it.

They walked up to the double doors at the front of the building. The double doors were glass with metal frames. Each door had a gold word engraved on it. The left one read "Edward's." The right one read "Hall." Jess pulled open one of the doors and they stepped inside.

"Well, here's the common room," said Jess as they stepped into a large room painted scarlet and gold. There were big over-stuffed, chairs and couches and dark, wood tables which people were using to play games and write on.

The stairs were on the right wall and about in the center it. Dan followed Jess and Cody as they headed for them.

"What room are you in?" Jess asked

"249," Cody answered.

"You two in the same room?" she asked as they headed up to level two.

"Yeah." This time it was Dan who answered.

"Cool."

"You with Beatrice?" Cody asked.

"Yeah," said Jess.

"Who's Beatrice?" Dan wondered out loud.

"My sister," said Cody. "The twin."

"You with her a lot?" Dan asked.

"Yeah," Jess answered.

They were finally at the door. It was second to last on this level. Cody fumbled with his things until he pulled out his red, St. Mary's folder and took out the key that was inside the yellow envelope inside the folder. Cody pushed the key into the keyhole and opened the door.

The room was a lot bigger than Dan had expected. First thing on his left, right inside the door, were two, large, dark-wood wardrobes for their clothes. They were separated by a door that was opened to reveal a simple bathroom painted white, the usual color. On the right and up against the wall in which the main door was on, was a mini refrigerator, that was about as "mini" as "mini" can get, a TV, complete with DVD and a VCR player. Directly across from there, splitting this side of the room in half, was a couch up against a wall as tall as itself. On the other side of the short wall was a bed. On the far wall was an identical bed. Across from the beds were two, wood, desks with so many shelves stacked on top of each other that it almost touched the ceiling.

"Wow," said Dan. "It's huge compared to what I thought it would be."

"Yeah," said Cody. He set down his luggage on the floor and then pulled out a PS2 and Xbox from his duffel bag and set the game systems on a shelf below the TV, on the TV stand. "Jess and I always bring our games. We made a deal that if I carry them she carries some of my stuff. They take up more room then you think. And also if you'd like to know, Jess comes and visits a lot to play games."

Cody made it sound like that was a bad think but Dan didn't think he'd mind.

"I'm gonna go back to my room and finish unpacking," said Jess. She was standing in the doorway watching them. "See ya later."

When the door closed behind Jess, Cody picked up his luggage and threw it on the far bed.

"I like the window," he said. "Is that cool?"

"Yeah," Dan answered. "It's cool. I like this thing anyway." He ran his hand over the wood top of the short wall.

"As long as you don't push things on me while I'm sleeping on the couch."

"Don't worry I won't I'm just gonna put these big, heavy soccer trophy's on it."

Cody laughed. "Let's get some tunes to listen to while we unpack," he said as he unpacked a blue stereo and set it on a small table next to the TV and plugged it in. After he pressed a few buttons the stereo turned on and played a song by the _Goo Goo Dolls_ called _Slide_. The boys listen to it while they put away all their things. By the time the song got to;

_Oh, May,_

_put your arms around me,_

the boys started singing along.

"_What you feel is what you are and what _

_you are is beautiful._

_Oh, May, you wanna get married,_

_or run away?"_

The door opened and Jess walked through.

"Hey, we could be changing you know," Cody called over the stereo.

"Then your stupid," she yelled as she tossed a bag on to Cody's bed that contained the things she had carried for him. "You're not supposed to leave your door unlocked when you're changing."

"Well most people would be polite enough to knock," he yelled back.

"Well, you're not changing anyway, what does it matter?"

"If I was I wouldn't want you bursting-"

"Whatever," she said waving her hand lazily. She went and turned off the stereo. "I was wondering if you wanted to go to the school's store and get our books."

"Yeah," Cody said looking at Dan who nodded. Cody grabbed his red folder off his desk, as Jess walked out. Dan snatched his folder off his desk he and Cody jogged after Jess.

"Thanks for waiting," Dan said when they caught up with her.

"You're to slow," Jess said.

"Your friend is really nice, Cody."

"You get used to her."

"Chill, I just wanna grab my stuff," she said.

They stopped at room 230. Jess dug her key into the key-hole and the lock clicked. She walked into a room almost identical to Dan and Cody's other than the couch's upholstery, the sheets on the bed, and the fact that one desk, wardrobe, and bed were completely bare and empty.

She walked over to the nearest desk, grabbed an identical red folder to Dan's and Cody's, and walked back out the door.

After she locked the door, she said, "Let's go."

They headed down the stairs and across the common room.

They got outside and started going toward one of the newer looking buildings. It also looked like one of the largest buildings too. A huge part of the front of the building was glass so, when you got close, you could see inside.

They reached it and headed inside. When they were in they faced a large entry way. On the left was what looked like a reception desk and hanging above a staircase leading up, was a flat screen TV which was scrolling through a schedule. On the right was another flat screen hanging on the wall. It seemed to be showing notices and advertisements. Just right of the staircase was a hallway that Dan couldn't see down.

"This is the recreation or rec. building," said Jess. "Up there," she pointed up the staircase, "Is all the sport courts and stuff."

"I thought St. Mary's only had soccer," said Dan.

"Yeah," said Cody, "but remember 'They're working on others.'"

"They want to get just about every sport here," said Jess. "Anyway, down there," she pointed at the hallway, "is how you get on the courts and to the locker rooms. Up the stairs only leads you to the stands. Come on." She waved at them to follow her into the hallway. They went down it and it lead to a circular room with benches and vending machines. There was another longer, wider hall which had no windows and many doors that led out of the room.

Jess turned left immediately after entering the room putting her right under the staircase where there was another stair, but this one went down. Dan and Cody followed. Jess climbed down the staircase. At the bottom was a wooden door with a small glass window which Jess went through. Inside the door was a common room four times as large as theirs. It looked more modern, it had a huge wide screen TV, and it was blue instead of scarlet and gold. The couple of people there looked like they were just…hanging out.

They went right and saw a glass door in a wall of glass windows. On the other side of the glass, the could see merchandise of all sorts like books, candy, food, drinks, backpacks, school bags, school supplies, and St. Mary's clothing and souvenirs.

They went through the door and into the store. They pulled out their book lists from their folders.

After finding all of their books and supplies the three of them browsed the St. Mary's merchandise for a few minutes. When they were finished they paid the register money given to them by their parents.

As they walked by a notice board Cody glanced at it before doing a double take.

"Wait!" he said.

"What?" said Jess.

"This years bus schedule, I want one," said Cody as his eyes scanned the notice board. "Here it is. Hey, there's one leaving at 5:00. Didn't you say you needed sheets, Danny?"

"It's Dan," said Dan glaring at Cody for using the name he despised, "and yes I do."

"Well," said Jess, "we can head back to the dorm, drop off our things, hop on the bus, grab Dan's sheets, and be back before 5:30."

"Cool," said Cody. "Let's go."

After they got back from getting Dan's sheets they headed back to their dorm where the messed around for a while. As he lay down to go to sleep, Dan knew that the beginning of something had started today. What he didn't know was that it was something that would last a lifetime.


	3. New Friends

CHAPTER 3 NEW FRIENDS

_Thunk!_ Dan opened his eyes. Where had that noise come from?_ I probably just imagined it; _Dan said in his head. He settled comfortably back in his bed. _Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!_ Dan sat straight up. It was coming from the door. He looked at the digital clock on his bed side cabinet. 1:07 a.m. He stood up and walked toward the door yawning. He opened the door a crack and looked out into the hall. "Jess!" he whispered.

"Yeah," she whispered back through the crack in the door.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to get in."

"Why?"

"To steal Cody's key," she said. "I always steal it."

"Why?" asked Dan.

"So I can make a copy of it and can get into your guy's room."

It was quiet for a second.

"Will you get it for me?" Jess asked looking hopefully at Dan.

"Why should I give you a key that allows you to get into _my _room?" Dan asked.

"Because you're really nice."

"Won't he notice if it's missing?"

"He thinks it's the beginning of term curse."

"All right," said Dan glad she wasn't coming in to she him in nothing but his blue, plaid pajama pants.

He crept over to Cody's desk, grabbed his key, tiptoed back to the door, and slipped the key through the crack.

"Thanks," Jess whispered when she had the key.

"No problem," Dan said, "as long as you don't try do bang down my door in the middle of the night and scare the crap outta me again."

"Fair enough," she said before slipping away.

Dan closed the door and crawled back into bed. He lied down on his stomach and let the fan, perched on a shelf on his desk, blow across his back. Dan sleepily closed his eyes and dozed off for what felt like a minute before

_This is the KS95 wake up crew…_

As scheduled, Dan's digital alarm clock woke him up at eight o' clock. _Why did Mom have to buy me this thing?_ Dan thought as he rolled out of bed. He had to meet Abbey at the gate and help her to her dorm. Abbey was Dan's twelve-year-old sister. Abbey had skipped fourth grade and moved on to fifth when she was nine so, this year, instead of being in seventh grade, she was in eighth. Abbey's intelligence was her only bragging right. She had always been really fragile which meant she couldn't play sports. She never had an interest in art and, to tell you the truth, she wasn't ever good at it. The only things Abbey Marie Rattison was good at were Math, Science, History, English, and Reading.

Dan walked over to his desk and leaned against it, thinking. _Abbey's a big girl now. Why do I have to help her find her dorm?_ _She's so smart and all. If she can't find her own dorm when she has a map of the campus, personally, I don't think she's very smart._

Dan never liked the fact that his baby sister was smarter than him. So, he did whatever he could to put her down, whether it was in his head, or out of his mouth. Abbey was pretty strong on the inside so this didn't affect her much, though it didn't help Dan. Since his "put down's" didn't effect Abbey, Dan always bragged about things he did that Abbey didn't, whenever she was around. This _did _get to Abbey sometimes and nobody stuck around to find out what they yelled at each other when they fought, which was very often. Even their parents had given up at stopping them when they yelled at each other. They would just go in to a different room and turn up the TV until the two siblings cooled off.

Dan looked over at Cody. He was laying on his stomach drooling all over his pillow, and his face.

Dan picked up a soccer ball that had been tucked away in the corner and chucked it Cody. It hit him square between his bare shoulder blades.

Cody jumped, failing his arms and yelling something about postal service. He looked around, figured out what happened, looked at Dan, and rubbed his eyes.

"What'd ya do that for?"

"To wake you up," said Dan.

"Well, it worked…" said Cody, "for a minute." He flopped back down onto his bed face first and closed his eyes.

Dan thought for a moment and then walked over to the refrigerator and pulled an ice cube out of the freezer. Then he walked back over to Cody's bed and dropped the ice cube on the small of Cody's bare back.

Cody jumped so much this time that he flew off his bed and hit the floor. He climbed back up and glared at Dan. "Have I ever told you how much I hate you?"

"No, but I bet one day you will," said Dan grinning. "Now get in the shower." Dan pointed toward the bathroom door. Cody glared at Dan but eventually walked toward the bathroom.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"Why are we here, again?" asked Cody for the third time.

"I told you," said Dan his anger rising by the second. "My sister is flying in today. We're supposed to meet her here and _guide_ her to her dorm."

"And why do I have to be here?" asked Cody.

"Because you have nothing better to do other than, visit _your_ two sisters who flew in today, or scratch your butt."

"All right man, I got it. Cool off."

"I CAN'T COOL OFF!" Dan yelled at Cody. "I'M SITTING HERE WITH THE MOST IMPATIENT, ANNOYING PERSON IN THE WORLD AND I HAVE TO GUIDE MY, _SUPER SMART, _SISTER TO HER DORM, WHILE EVERYBODY _PRAISES_ HER ON HOW SMART SHE IS!!"

It was quiet for a minute. Cody broke the silence.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah," said Dan who was breathing heavily. "Sorry about that."

"It's okay. You really have a problem with your sister, don't you?"

"It's just, my parents and my family thinks it's so amazing that she skipped a grade that they forget to notice all of the amazing stuff _I_ do."

"I know what you mean, bro," said Cody. The boys sat there for a while when finally, a bright yellow cab pulled up. The bus didn't run this day because so few people rode this day.

Abbey climbed out of the cab as she said thank you to the driver. He tipped his hat.

The boys walked over to get Abbey's things out of the trunk.

Abbey looked exactly like her mother. She had long brown hair that went down to her butt. She didn't like braiding it our putting it in a ponytail. She preferred to let it hang there. Her face was a perfect oval. It was smooth and graceful. She was a little short for her age.

She waved at Dan, "Hi Dan."

"Abbey," he said quietly as he tried to pull out her suitcase.

"Who's this guy?" she said with an annoyed voice gesturing towards Cody and looking at him as if he was an ugly coat rack.

Cody looked insulted. He stuttered.

"Will you be finishing any of these sentences?" she asked looking smartly at him.

"That's it!" Cody stepped toward Abbey.

"Hold up." Dan grabbed him by the back of his shirt.

Abbey grinned.

"You think this is funny, do ya?" said Cody. "Cocky-ass-!"

"Cody," said Dan cutting him off, "she's a vicious little twerp, I know. Guess who lived with her all her life. You just gotta let it go, man." Cody stared at Abbey before taking a deep breath and slacking Dan's pull.

"Okay," Dan said. He turned toward Abbey. "What dorm are you in?"

"Judith Hall," she recited from memory.

"Do you know where that is?" Dan asked Cody.

"Over there," Cody said through gritted teeth as he pointed toward a newer-looking building.

The threesome headed toward the building, Dan between Abbey and Cody.

When they got there, they headed into the building, which, looked exactly like Dan and Cody's dorm other than the fact that it was newer.

When they reached her door Dan and Cody waved goodbye and headed back to their own dorm. On their way they heard a familiar voice. "Guys, guys." Jess was running towards them waving her arm.

"Hey, Jess," said Dan. "What's that?" Jess had what looked a black, arm band in her hand. She held it up. Embroidered on the arm band was a "C."

"Damn it," Cody hissed under his breath.

"Watch your language," said Jess.

"Yes, _Mother_," said Cody in a teasing kind of way.

"Oh, watch me man," she said the fierceness burning in her eyes. "I'll be the one _telling_ your mother."

"What's your problem, man?" Dan asked turning his attention to Cody who had on the same grumpy face he'd had on the plane.

"That's a captain's band," he said quietly as he gestured to the navy blue, arm band in Jess's hand. "She's captain of the soccer team."

Dan turned back to Jess. "Congratulations."

"Thank you," she said looking proud.

"And this is bad," said Dan turning back to Cody.

"Yeah, it is," he said angrily, his voice rising. "_I _wanted that band. I thought I had that band in the bag."

"Sorry Cody," said Jess. "Coach chooses, not me, so it's really stupid to be mad at me."

Dan had to admit, she had a point.

Cody still looked like he was sizzling.

"Let's go back to your guys's dorm," said Jess, "and I'll kick your asses in Halo."

"Deal," said Cody, his competitive drive overriding his anger. "But for the record, I'll be the one kicking your ass."

The first two games of Halo, Cody won but it was mostly because Dan and Jess let up on him a bit for fear of him getting angry again. The next game Jess won and the last game Dan won. They were just about to start their fifth game when there was a knock on the door. Cody got up and answered. Jess and Dan heard the voice of the people at the door, but Cody didn't answer them. Dan stood up to see why Cody wasn't talking. He looked over Cody's shoulder to the people at the door. Standing there were two girls. One was about a half an inch shorter than Dan with thin, wavy, light blond hair that went about two inches passed her shoulders and blue eyes. The other was about an inch and half shorter than the first girl. She had dark blond hair that went down to about her upper back and blue eyes that kind of had a greenish tint. Her eyes were hidden behind blue, thick-rimmed glasses.

"Hi," said the taller girl, who was looking at Cody as if he were some kind of crazy man, (though Dan had to agree with her). "Like I was telling your friend, we were wondering if you could help us move our beds. We don't like the position they're in and they're really heavy." Cody was still dead silent. Dan tracked where he was looking to the shorter girl. Dan smiled and said, "Yeah, sure. Just as soon as my statue here decides to move." Dan patted Cody's shoulder. Cody jerked back to life and blurred out almost instantly, "We'd love to!"

The girls lead them across the hall to their dorm room. The boys adjusted there beds in the right position for them. After the girls thanked them Cody puffed out his chest and in his most trying-to-be-manly voice said, "It was no problem, ladies." The girls each waved goodbye as Dan and Cody, more reluctantly than Dan, headed out the door.

"Danny?"

"Abbey!" Dan said after turning to look at the person who had called him bye the name he hated. "How'd you know I was here?"

"I didn't come here for you," she said smartly. "I'm here because, Hannah, my roommate," she gestured to the girl next to her, "Wanted me to meet her stepsister."

Abbey's roommate was quite a bit shorter than Abbey, considering she was a year older than her. She had short, light brown hair but it wasn't the same as Abbey's hair. Abbey's almost had a reddish tinge. Hannah's hair was just brown.

Apparently, the tall girl heard all the noise and came out to see what was making it. "Hey, Hannah." The tall girl waved at Hannah.

"Hi, Wendy. Abbey this is my stepsister Wendy. Wendy, this is my roommate Abbey."

"It's nice to meet you Wendy."

"It's nice to meet you too Abbey."

"What's up?" The shorter girl had walked out of the room to see why Wendy had left.

"Hannah, Abbey, this is my roommate, Erin. Erin this is my stepsister Hannah and her roommate Abbey."

"Hi." Erin waved at Abbey and Hannah.

The minute Cody noticed Erin was out he ran his fingers through his hair to make it slightly messy and had slouched against the wall with a screwed up face that was supposed to make him look cool, even though it didn't.

Dan rolled his eyes before elbowing Cody in the ribs and dragging Cody back into their room.

"Bye, Danny!" Abbey called.

"She knows I hate to be called that," said Dan through clenched teeth.

"She's just trying to push your buttons," said Cody. "I should know. I've got four sisters trying to push mine."

"This is what I get when Mom and Dad let me go to the same boarding school with my baby SISTER!" Dan said as slammed his fist into the wall. Then he yelled in pain and gripped his hand. "God that hurts," he said.

"You okay?" asked Jess who was sitting cross-legged on the floor leaning against the couch.

"Yeah," said Dan still holding his hand.

After a silent pause Dan said, "She thinks she so smart just because she skipped a grade."

"Technically, that does mean she's smart," said Jess.

"Don't encourage her," said Dan.

"What was that about anyway," she asked gesturing towards the door.

"Just these two girls, Wendy and Erin, they needed us to move their beds," said Dan. Then he grinned and said, "Cody was all over Erin."

"I was not," said Cody with a look on his face like he was hiding something.

"Oh, really," said Dan. He screwed up his face the way Cody had in the hall and leaned up against the wall.

"Oh, hi Erin," said Dan in a fake "Cody trying to sound like he's macho" voice. "I'm a big strong man. I'll move your bed. Look at my muscles." Dan began to flex the muscles in his left arm. "You can touch them if you want to. Don't worry, my shirt won't rip."

Jess had cupped her hands over her mouth and her shoulders began to shake as she laughed. Cody was the only one in the room not enjoying the show. He walked over to his desk and picked up his weighed-down tape-dispenser and chucked it at Dan. Dan ducked and the dispenser hit the wall hard leaving a little dent.

"Watch it!" said Dan after standing back up. "That would've hurt."

"That's the point," said Cody.

"Nothin' like the threat of decapitation to spice up your day," said Jess.


	4. First Day

CHAPTER 4 FIRST DAY

_Does it hurt, to know I'll never be there?_

_Bet it sucks, to see my face everywhere!_

_It was you, who chose to end it like you did!_

_I was last to know you knew-_

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!" Dan said as he tried to find the sleep button on his alarm clock.

_They may believe you, but I never will, never again,_

Kelly Clarkson continued on the radio, not even caring that Dan still wanted to sleep.

Finally, he hit the power button and pushed his head back into the pillow.

"I don't think so, man," said a familiar voice as the sheet was thrown off of Dan and a cool wave of air chilled his skin. "Wakey, wakey. Eggs and bakey!"

Dan looked up and saw Jess sitting at the end of his bed. "What are you doing?"

"I'm the wake up call," Jess said as she walked over to Cody's bed. She pressed her finger to her lips then jumped up on to his bed and started jumping up and down.

"Time to get up!" she called. Cody thrashed around trying to process what was going on. Jess jumped down and put her hands on her hips while she admired her work.

Cody looked up and saw her. "Holy hell," he said as he pulled the sheets up to his neck so Jess couldn't see his bare chest. "How'd you get in here?"

"I walked through the wall," she said sarcastically. "How do you think I got in dufus? The door, of course." She walked over and sat down in his desk chair.

"How'd you get through the door?" he asked. "It was locked."

"Magic," she said using her hands to make an imaginary rainbow above her head. "Now get up."

"Yes, _mother_," said Cody smiling as he got out of bed.

"You're pushin' it," she said glaring at him.

"Down girl," said Dan as he got out of bed. He grabbed his clothes and headed for the shower. He was trying not to seem embarrassed by the fact that Jess could see him half naked.

After showering Dan pulled on some blue boxers, his sleek, black, pants, and his white button-down, shirt. He ran the comb through his hair once and then walked out of the bathroom. When he looked up at Jess and Cody, he saw Cody laying, stomach-down, on his bed. Jess was on top of him holding his arms behind his back.

"Let me go!" said Cody trying to get free.

"Take it back and I will," said Jess struggling to hold him down.

"Never!" said Cody.

"Then your not going anywhere," said Jess.

"Jess," said Dan curiously looking at them.

"Yeah," she said casually, turning around to face him.

"Why are you holding Cody hostage?"

"He said Martin Brodeur was stupid-looking," she answered. One of Cody's hands got free. She grabbed it again and, holding it behind his back, forced it upward.

He yelled out in pain. "All right! I take it back! I take back!" Jess let him go and got off the bed. Cody flipped over on his back and took deep breathes.

"Why do you like Martian Broduer?" asked Dan. "Isn't he a hockey player?"

"A hockey _goalie_," said Jess as if it was obvious. "Hockey is my favorite sport. They only have soccer here, though, so I settled for it."

"Oh," said Dan, "I didn't know."

"Now you do," she said.

"I'm getting in the shower before Jess kills me," said Cody getting up

and running to the bathroom. On his way to the bathroom he grabbed his clothes. Jess and Dan laughed.

Finally, all three of them had, showered, brushed their teeth and were in their uniforms (which was basically black pants (girls had the choice to wear skirts, Jess hadn't touched hers), white button-down shirt, black tie and jacket, and black shoes). They gathered all the books they'd need for the first part of the day.

"All right," said Jess, "let's head to homeroom." Jess and Cody led Dan to the office building. Once in there, they showed him the presentation room, which was a large room with a stage at the front, and, at the moment, was packed with students. The school let them go casual with their uniforms as long as they wore them, appropriately, and didn't change the actual pieces. Most people, Dan noticed, didn't wear the jackets and had their ties loosely tied. An occasional few didn't tuck in their shirts, like Cody and Jess.

"Some of the students go here for homeroom," said Cody, "others go to the mess hall a.k.a. cafeteria."

"Why don't we have normal homerooms?" asked Dan. "You know, one's with only like 20 kids."

"We do," said Jess, "just not now. If you're on a team or a club, your coach is your homeroom teacher. All tryouts for everything are this week, so next week you get separate homerooms. You're not required to go to homeroom. You go if you want to. Only on special days do they force you to go."

"Oh," said Dan.

Then a man walked on to the stage and over to the microphone. He cleared his throat and said, "Attention, attention." The students quieted down.

"Hello," the man continued. He looked late thirty's early forties. His short brown hair was the same color as his eyes. Dan was surprised when Jess said this was a new headmaster. He had gone to this school for high school too. He looked quite professional for being so young. "For all new students, I am the headmaster of St. Mary's Academy, Professor Seacon." He explained the homeroom situation, which Dan already knew and then closed by saying, "Hope you enjoy your school day," which made many students snort. The talking started up again as the headmaster stepped down from the stage.

Dan looked around. "Hey, is that Erin and Wendy?"

"Where?" Cody asked suddenly. He anxiously tried to find them and make himself look nicer. Jess and Dan held back their laughs remembering the tape-dispenser dent.

"Over there," Dan pointed in front of them. Cody turned and saw. He put a serious look on his face and took a step towards them. As he placed his foot on the floor, the bell rang. Cody sighed and hung his head as he followed Dan who was following Jess toward building #4.

Jess explained to Dan that each building contained a certain subject or subjects. Building #4 is English, Journalism & Literature, and History/Government. #6 is Science and Math. #3 and #5 are miscellaneous Electives. #2 is Mess Hall (even though that's not really a subject).

Dan looked down at his schedule.

**HourClass TeacherTime Room**

1Homeroom 7:30-7:40

2Honors Communications Sweet7:50-8:40413

3Honors Civics Strom 8:50-9:40422

4Spanish Caylin9:50-10:40820

5Break 10:50-11:40

Lunch 11:50-12:30

6Honors IPS Channing12:40-1:30614

7Algebra Zane 1:40-2:30625

8Mechanical Engineering Zit 2:40-3:25815

(Communications is basically English, Civics is a government class, and IPS stands for Introductory Physical Science)

(Honors classes are advanced classes, harder than normal classes, but not a.p. classes which are college credits)

"The room numbers tell you a lot about the room," said Jess. "The first number refers to the building the room is in. The second number tells you what floor the room is on, and the last number tells you what number the room is on that floor."

Jess's schedule was exactly the same as Dan's, except Jess had Photography & Filming 8th hour with Mrs. Shananon and Honors Algebra 2 with Mr. Anderson. Cody's was also very similar except he had normal IPS 3rd hour and normal Civics 6th hour.

They reached Building #4. They opened the door and it led to an entryway that had two separate ways you go. One way, which was straight forward, led you to a hallway that had 5 rooms on each side. Even numbers on the right, odd on the left. The other way to go, which was to the left, led you to a staircase that brought you to the second level which was exactly the same as the first except there was no door and the stairs went down instead of up (duh).

Jess, Dan, and Cody went straight forward down the hallway until they reached the second door on the left, room 413. When they walked in, Dan saw that the room was a pretty average shape for a room, rectangle. The room had three wide steps that went all the way across the room, on the left-hand side when you walked in. Each step had three, wooden, tables on it. Two of the tables were up against the walls and one was in the middle of the stair. The two tables against the wall each had two, wooden, chairs behind them. The one in the middle had three. This left isles for people to walk through. On the top step, the widest step, behind the tables, were three, large cabinets and a single table with a single chair. The cabinets were draped with posters about nouns and other English related things. The table had stuff pilled up on it, too. Dan couldn't tell what they were.

On the wall to the right of the door when you walked in was a large white-board.

Just to the left of the white-board, was a large, wood desk that was neatly pilled with papers, pencils, pencil holders, pencil sharpeners, and all kinds of different school supplies and teachers things. Sitting behind this desk was, the teacher. She was a woman who looked in her late 30's. She was an average height and weight, and had short very, dark brown hair. It went just past her ears where it curled upwards, so it kind of formed around her ears. She had a pink ribbon bow on top of her head, right behind her bangs. Dan had to say her name, Mrs. Sweet, suited her appearance. Hopefully it suited her attitude as well.

"Hello," she said when the three of them walked in. "You may choose your seats." She motioned out to the tables.

"It's good to see you got moved up, Mrs. Sweet," said Jess. Dan assumed that she used to teacher a lower grade.

"I'm very happy I did Jess, thank you," said Mrs. Sweet.

Jess, Cody, and Dan walked up the steps to find seats. Cody wanted to sit in the middle section of row 1 so he could be in row 1, section 2, of room 3. Jess and Dan sat in the two seats behind him so they wouldn't be in that position.

The room slowly filled with chattering people. Zach, the boy they had seen the other day sat next to Dan so he could be close to Jess but give her, her space.

When the bell rang to signal the beginning of class, Mrs. Sweet stood up to close the door. Then she walked to the front of the classroom.

"Hello class," she said smiling. "My name is Alison Sweet. I will be your Communications professor. I hope you chose your seats wisely, they will be your permanent seats." She took a clipboard off of her desk and held it up. It had a piece of paper clipped to it that had the pattern of their seats printed on it.

"A seating chart," she said. "When you get it right your name in the spot you are sitting and then pass it on to he next person." She handed it to the person on the far left in the front row. As the chart was passed around she gave a short summary of what they would be learning and/or reviewing. When the chart was complete and handed back to her she set it back on her desk and picked up a stack of papers.

"A pop quiz," she said holding up the papers. Everyone groaned.

"It's just a survey about you so I can get to know you," she explained. "It should be fairly simple." She handed the people in the first table, first section the exact number of papers so everyone in the section would get one. The students each grabbed their own and then passed them back. She did the same for the other two sections.

Dan looked at the paper when he got it. It had questions like, "How old are you?" "What's your birthday?" and "Do you have any siblings?"

"Do you have any special talents?" Cody whispered to himself as he thought.

Jess leaned forward and whispered to him, "What about being a special kind of stupid?"

"You're hilarious," Cody hissed turning towards her a little but not taking his eyes off his paper. Dan looked over and saw Jess smiling as she leaned back in her seat.

The rest of the class was pretty much the same. After the student quiz they took a teacher quiz that had the same questions except they were directed to her. When they finished this there wasn't much time left.

When the bell rang, everyone went pilling out of the door. After a lot of struggle, Dan, Jess, and Cody finally managed to make their way out. Cody headed to building #6 for IPS while Jess and Dan headed to room 422 for Honors Civics.

The Civics teacher, Mr. Strom, was very tall. He had brown hair, a goatee, and a deep booming voice.

"Hello everybody," said Mr. Strom standing in the front of the room. "I am Mr. Strom and this is…Honors Civics!" He seemed to be very enthusiastic about this class. "Today, since it's the first day, we are going to play a game."

The class cheered and clapped loudly. Dan, who was sitting in the middle of the fourth row, whistled so loud, Jess, who was sitting next to him, threatened to sue for loss of hearing.

"All right, all right. Settle down," said Mr. Strom. "Don't get too excited. It's a history game. To review those who created our wonder government."

The class groaned.

The game actually turned out to be fun. It was basically charades, but you acted out a person in American history.

Unfortunately, the bell rang at 9:40 and everybody walked somberly out of the classroom.

After Civics, the twosome of Jess and Dan met up with Cody and headed to Spanish, in room 820. They basically did the same thing they had done in Mrs. Sweet's class except for the teacher survey. Ms. Caylin ended up just talking to them about herself. Ms. Caylin was young with dark brown hair. She looked like she was part Hispanic. She was quite nice.

5th hour was break. Jess, Dan, and Cody just sat around Dan and Cody's dorm room during break. Cody and Dan played video games and Jess pulled out a book to read. She also pulled out a pair of thin, red-rimmed glasses and put them on before she started reading.

Dan looked over at her. "How long have you had those?"

"Since I was nine," she answered not looking up.

"Why do you need them?"

"I don't know," she said, "I guess my eyes just wore out."

Dan remembered when he had lived in New Jersey he'd had a friend who had glasses. He had absolutely hated them. Jess seemed really calm about hers. Maybe reading glasses were different.

Dan turned back to the video game. He noticed Cody looked a little uncomfortable, and he kept glancing over at Jess.

After break Dan, Jess, and Cody headed off to lunch.

"There are three levels to the mess hall," Jess explained. "First level is grade's 6-8. Second level is grade's 9-10. Last floor, 11-12th."

"Good," said Dan. "That mean's I don't have to have lunch with, _Abbey_."

"Until next year," Cody said. Dan shot him an angry look.

"Oh, come on Dan," said Jess, "she can't be that bad."

"She is," said Dan and Cody at the same time.

For lunch they each got a huge mound of lasagna and ate every bit of it.

"This food is better than most school food," Dan said after swallowing a mouth full of lasagna.

"It has to be," said Jess. "The students live hear."

The rest of the day was pretty much the same as the beginning of the day. They had Honors IPS with Mr. Channing, a fun, bald man who resembled "Mr. Clean." Dan and Cody had Algebra with Ms. Zane, a young teacher with shoulder length black hair, while Jess went to Honors Algebra. And last hour Dan and Cody had Mechanical Engineering, with Mr. Zit, and Jess had Photography & Filming with Mrs. Shananon, the soccer coach's wife.

"Poor guy," said Cody about the teacher at the front of the classroom, as they walked in. "That name is a prime target for pimple jokes."

Mr. Zit was tall and frail looking. He had thin white-blond hair. He was lucky he taught a fun class because if he didn't he'd have no control over his class.

After class, Dan and Cody helped Jess post signs for soccer tryouts on Saturday.

"We should practice for tryouts," said Cody. "You can get us the field, right Jess."

"Of course," she said.

"Sound's good," said Dan. "Let's go."


	5. Tryouts

CHAPTER 5 TRYOUTS

CHAPTER 5 TRYOUTS

The rest of the week went by pretty normal. They went to their classes and then they'd go to their dorm, do their homework and then go practice out on the field.

So far, Dan really liked it here. It was the complete opposite of what he had imagined. And, not only did he have two really great friends he had also befriended Zach and Alex, the boy who sat next to him in M.E. (Mechanical Engineering). Alex was short for his age with short, spiky, dirty blond hair. He kind of had a pudgy, freckled face, and brown eyes. He was really funny.

Dan had also found out that he and Zach were not the only boys who like Jess. Actually, almost half the boys at school liked Jess. Their conversations were constantly interrupted by, "Jess, you and me Saturday?" And the answer was always the same, flat "No." Cody explained to Dan that it was only new kids who asked Jess now. All the others had all ready tried. He said that the wave would soon be over. Dan was glad when Cody said that. He didn't want a lot of competition, especially when the competition is much better than himself.

Even though Dan liked his classes, Dan wished they would get over quicker. He was getting very anxious about tryouts. Jess and Cody were a lot better than him. He knew he was good and getting better, (Jess and Cody taught him some moves) but he still didn't know if he'd have a chance to get on the team.

"Don't sweat it Dan," said Cody one day while they were practicing, "even if you do suck Jess'll make sure you're on the team."

"Actually, I can't," said Jess as she kicked the ball into the upper right hand corner of the net. "I don't choose who's on the team. All I know for sure is that last years returners are almost a shoe in, unless Coach decides otherwise."  
"Yes," said Cody punching the air.

Dan glared at him. "Thanks," he said, "that makes me feel so much better."

"I thought you deserve the truth," said Jess.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Finally, the day came. Dan woke up early and laid in bed thinking for a while. He couldn't take it. All he could think about was _What if I don't make it?_ He got up, and pulled on his black soccer shorts and an old white T-shirt. He grabbed his longest pair of socks he had and pulled them up all the way to his knees. He hadn't brought his real soccer socks because he never thought he'd get the chance to play and his parents hadn't mailed them yet. Lastly, he picked up the black cleats and old gray shin guards he had been borrowing from Cody, and set them by the door. Then he sat at the end of his bed and waited.

When Cody woke up nether of them said anything. Cody knew Dan was nervous and he didn't want to say anything to upset him. Cody was going to the tryouts today too. All returner's who want to play had to. Cody put on his own soccer clothes and then waited until 10:30 before leaving the dorm room.

They knocked quietly on Jess's door.

"I'll be out in one sec," she called through the door. Dan and Cody waited a minute until Jess came out.

"Well," said Cody, "since we've got plenty of time, why don't we say good morning to our hall-mates?" He motioned towards Erin and Wendy's door.

Dan struggled not to grin as he said, "Sure."

"'Hall-mate'?" Jess said raising her eyebrows.

"I was just trying to be neighborly, is that a crime?" asked Cody.

"Come on lover boy let's go," Dan said as he dragged Cody towards the door. He knocked on it and waited a minute until Erin opened the door, with Wendy looking over her shoulder.

"Good morning," Erin said sweetly.

"Cody here wanted to come by and say good morning to you," said Dan, "but it seems he's broken." Cody had frozen at the sight of Erin.

"Morning," he said in an odd voice as he stared at Erin.

"Oh," Erin cooed, "that's so sweet."

"Yes it is," said Wendy. "Now if you don't mind, I have to go hurl."

"I'm right behind ya," said Jess.

Dan turned to Erin and Wendy. "Sorry but we have to go, tryouts."

"Tryouts for what?" asked Wendy.

"Soccer," said Jess.

"I like volleyball," said Wendy. Jess looked like she was evaluating Wendy by her answer.

"Volleyball's cool," she said. Apparently Wendy had passed the test.

"Well I'm glad you two are bonding," said Dan, "but we gotta go."

"Bye," Erin called to them as they walked back down the hall.

Jess, Dan, and Cody, who had regained normal consciousness, headed out to the field. When they got there they saw that a couple boys were all ready there. One of them was Zach, two of the others Dan didn't recognize, and the last one was-

"Alex?!" Dan said walking up to his friend. "I didn't know you played soccer?"

"I'm a goalie," he said.

"I don't mean to interrupt your intriguing conversation but I got to go," said Jess. "Coach wants me to meet him in the locker room before tryouts." She nodded toward the locker room building not far from the field.

"K," said Dan. Jess turned and jogged toward the building and soon disappeared through the door.

"I wonder why the coach wants to see her." Dan thought out loud.

"She's the captain," Cody said bitterly. "That's why he wants to see her."

Dan and Cody didn't see Jess again until tryouts started. She came out of the locker room building with the coach. Coach Shananon was young, quite tall, and bald. He looked very strict.

"Settle down everyone," he said as he walked up to the group of boys that had grown to about 40 boys. Dan noticed the Coach had a strong British accent.

"I am Coach Shananon of the St. Mary's Academy boy's soccer team," he announced, "and this," he pointed at Jess, "is captain of the soccer team, Jessica Lee Payton." A couple boys in the group laughed, others whistled, and the some just stared and drooled. Only the people that knew Jess well didn't do anything.

"Now I need you all come up here and sign this form," Coach said holding up a clipboard with the form on it. "You will put your name down and then grab a jersey out of here and put the number of the jersey on here next to your name." Dan knew the only reason he was doing this is so he would know who was who.

When Dan moved up to sign his name he noticed for the first time that Jess had changed her clothes when she had gone in to the locker room. She was wearing black soccer shorts that had two white stripes going down the side of each leg, and a white T-shirt with a small fierce looking cardinal head (the school symbol) just below the left shoulder. She was also wearing black soccer socks pulled up to their full extent, (with shin guards under them). The only thing that hadn't changed was the dirty, old, black cleats on her feet.

When everybody had signed and put on an old smelly "penny's" (those jersey's that are made of mesh usually some bright color, with no sleeves), they did a warm-up jog around the field. Dan was a little slow because he hadn't worked out in a while. After that they did some simple drills. As they did this Coach took notes and talked with Jess for advice on what she thought of them for both attitude and skill. Coach didn't want somebody who wouldn't get along with the other people.

As the day went on the drills got more complicated. At the end of the day everyone was exhausted.

"All right everyone," Coach said after practice, "come here tomorrow at 10:00am and I'll have the team. I'm also choosing a couple advanced boys to do a little extra practice and learn more uncommon moves. Jess will demonstrate some of them." He gestured toward Jess. She waved Cody over and ran on to the field with him. She whispered something to him. He nodded and they ran into positions.

Jess stood directly in the middle of the field. Cody stood right next to the net with a pile of soccer balls at his feet.

He rolled one ball in front of the net. Jess ran towards it and then dropped down on her side, one leg tucked under, the other was rigid. She slide right up to the ball and pushed it in to the net. That one was hard, but not unseen.

Next she took a ball and put it between her feet. Then, holding onto the ball with her feet, she did a front flip onto her hands, then onto her feet again, and then, the second time she flipped onto her hands she let go of the ball as it was coming upward and it soared into the upper part of the net. That had been seen but it was uncommon. She got more applause for that one.

She also did one where she jumped up and kicked the ball with her foot while she was sideways in the air.

For her grand finally, to this day this remains Dan's favorite, Jess had Cody throw the ball in the air. As it was soaring Jess ran towards it, turned around and did a back flip. As her feet were coming over her she kicked the ball, in the air, with her foot and it soared into the upper, left hand corner of the net. The most amazing part was Jess's hands never touched the ground. She had just been spinning in mid air, strong and graceful. It was magnificent.

When her feet hit the ground everyone applauded. Her chest went up and down as she breathed heavily.

"Great demonstration," said Coach as he walked up to Jess.  
"Absolutely amazing." He slapped Jess on the back. "Now don't forget, tomorrow at 10:00."

Jess, Dan, and Cody headed back to their dorm where they showered and then headed off to dinner together.

"I'm starving," said Cody as he piled all kinds of food on to his plate.

"You do know there is such a thing as breakfast," said Jess.

After getting the food they sat down at one of the round blue tables, and Cody started to shove food into his mouth.

"O," said Cody with a mouth full of food, "you know oo on da deam."

"No," said Jess wiping the chewed piece of food Cody had spit on her off her arm. "Coach's e-mailing me tonight."

"Cody swallowed his food. "So when you get it will you tell us who's on the team?" He nodded toward Dan.

Jess inhaled deeply before flatly saying, "No."

"Why?" Dan and Cody both whined.

"Coach's rules," she said taking a bite of her salad.

"But you could make an exception for your friends," Cody said looking hopefully at her.

"You're kidding, right," she said. Cody sighed and turned back to shoving food into his mouth.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day Dan and Cody woke up early and headed to breakfast together. When they got there they saw Jess sitting with a girl who had long bleach-blond hair that was pulled back into a high pony-tail. She also had red thick-rimmed glasses.

"Hey, Bee," said Cody as he and Dan walked up to Jess and the girl. "Dan, this is my sister, and Jess's room mate, Beatrice. Bee, this is my roommate, Dan."

"Hey," she said giving Dan a little wave. He waved back.

"So," Cody said as he and Dan sat down, "are you coming to watch us today?"

"Can't," she said flatly. "I have homework."

"You won't give the homework a break even for your own twin?" asked Cody looking insulted.

"Even if I did come I'd come for Jess," Beatrice said as she took a bite of her eggs. Cody looked offended.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dan's heart was pounding so loud in his chest he couldn't hear him self think.

"All right everybody," Coach yelled over the talking boys. "If I call out your name please stand behind Jess." He motioned towards Jess. "Joseph Hoscow," he read off the list on his clipboard, "Marcus Wilson…"

The names continued on forever, in no particular order. Dan listened carefully to every name waiting for he coach's lips to form the words he so desperately wanted to here.

"Shawn Jones, Alexander Sheaver, Cody Linstrum, Daniel Rattison…"

Dan's heart skipped a beat. He's done it. He knew this had to be the team, Cody was on it. He followed Cody to the group behind Jess. He'd done it.

Coach finished reading off the names and then said, "As for the rest of you, I'm sorry you're not on the team. Please try again next year." The leftovers made their way off the field.

"Now you," he said turning to the 20 boys (and Jess) who had made it, "Please follow Jess to the locker room."

Everybody filed into the locker room. It was a little cozy but it was defiantly a nice locker room.

"These," Coach said as he slapped the wood panel of one of the stalls in the locker room, "are your stalls. You keep all your equipment in here. Make sure you keep them clean. Messes are not tolerated. These," he said picking up a black duffel bag with red handles, "are your equipment bags. When we go to away games your equipment goes in here. You will not get your bags or kits," (a kit is the uniform, jersey cleats, socks, ext.), "until you have your number and you have filled out this form, and paid 75 for admission. Your must have both of those in by next Saturday or you will not play. This," he said pointing at Jess's clothes, (the same she had been wearing yesterday), "is your practice uniform. You will get one when you bring your form and money on Saturday. You must bring your own cleats. Now you will come up to this table and tell Jess the positions you play, your top 3 number choices, and you will try on the demo clothes for our game kits and tell Jess your size's. Then you will come to me and get your form and decide what stall you will have."

It was kind of chaotic with everybody in the locker room going to the same place but they managed.

"Hey Jess," said Cody when he and Dan reached her, "you think you can help me get my favorite number?"

"Don't count on it," said Jess looking up from her clipboard.

Cody sighed. "23, 24, 25."

Jess wrote the numbers down next to his name.

"For position," Cody said, "midfield or fullback."

"Okay," she said writing it on her clipboard. "Size's." She pointed at the demo clothes and Cody went to try them on. As he did Dan told Jess his number's and position.

"12, 24, 25," he said. "Position…wing or striker."

"So you like forward," said Jess as she wrote Dan's information down. "Me too."

"Cool," said Dan. He couldn't help but let his stomach do a back flip because of the way she said that.

When everyone was finished with everything, Coach announced, "Well, that's all I have for you today. Jess is having a run to get you lazy punks in shape. It's optional but I suggest you do it for your own well being. Otherwise, you may go." Coach walked out of the locker room.

"Anyone who wants to run meet outside in five minutes," Jess said before walking out of the locker room herself.

"I'm gonna run," Cody said to Dan. "How 'bout you?"

"Definitely," said Dan.

"Cool."

Five minutes later Dan and Cody walked out of the locker room. Dan's stomached jerked when he saw Jess. She was waiting for them just outside the door. She had taken off her practice jersey and now all she had on was a white under shirt that only went down to just above her belly button.

"Hey guy's," she said as they walked out. Dan was trying not to stare.

"Hey," said Cody. "Damn it's hot." Cody pulled off his shirt and tossed it on the ground near the wall of the locker room. Cody was skinny, like Dan, but sports had given him good muscles and abbs, like Dan.

"Nice abbs," said Jess hitting Cody's stomach.

"Thank you," he said proudly. "You too."

A group of boys had formed around them, including Alex and Zach.

"All right," said Jess, "we're just gonna go half way around campus. Go at your own speed. Don't kill yourself out here. Feel free to drop out at any time." Then she turned and began to jog around the perimeter of the campus. The boys followed.

After jogging for 20 minutes, Dan's shirt was soaked and sticking to his skin. He was doing his best to keep up with Jess, but even Cody was failing at that. Dan thought for a minute before deciding he was to hot. He pulled off his shirt and tied it around his upper arm so it wouldn't bug him.

"It's a little warm isn't it," said Jess to him.

"Just a little," Dan panted. Jess laughed, and Dan's stomach back flipped again.

By the time they made it back to the field they had lost half their group. Dan, Cody, and Zach were the only one's who had gotten close to keeping up with Jess. The four of them reached the field first and collapsed onto the field.

"3 miles," Cody breathed, "on our second day, is just cruel."

"Get over it," said Jess.

"You know," said Dan, "Coach never told us who those 'advanced people' were."

"That's because he wanted me to tell," said Jess as she stood up. "Zach, don't leave."

"Why?" he asked propping himself up on his elbows.

"Because you're advanced," she said watching Alex as he jogged up to them. Zach was jumping up and punching the air.

"Alex," Jess said to him as he jogged up. "Stay here you're advanced."

"Sweet."

"Dan, Cody," she said turning toward them smiling, "don't leave."

"Yes!" said Cody jumping up and punching the air.

"Why do we have to stay?" Dan asked Jess as he stood up.

"'Cause we have practice."


	6. The Dance

CHAPTER 6 THE DANCE

CHAPTER 6 THE DANCE

"All right," said Jess to the four boys, "wait here." She ran over to the locker room. When she came back she was holding four black arm bands just like her own except these had an "A" instead of a "C."

"You are the assistant captains," Jess informed them. "Every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday after practice we will have a separate practice. Coach will examine us every tenth practice to see how we're doing. Today we're just working on direct free-kicks."

"Why are you thinking _we're_ gonna be the ones who need to take direct free-kicks?" asked Cody.

"I'm not saying you're going to get free-kicks," said Jess. "All though, people will eventually see that you're good and they'll want to attack you."

"That's a good answer," Cody said to himself. Jess laughed and then walked over to the storage shed and came back with the tall, blue, wall fake. "The Wall" is a defensive maneuver used during direct free-kicks. A group of four to five players would stand ten feet away from the kicker in front of one side of the net so the goalie doesn't have to cover so much. The best way to score on this is to kick it over them or curve the ball around them into the unprotected part of the net. The fake is made out of metal and is roughly the size of four average height people.

"Alex," Jess called, "into the net!" Alex jogged in to position.

"Zach," she said turning towards him, "you first." Cody stood a few feet away from Jess as he watched Zach's ball soar over the fake and into the net.

"You ever done a wall kick?" Jess asked Dan who was standing next to her.

"I did some last year," he said. They didn't speak again until after Cody had kicked and Dan stepped toward the kicking position. Jess grabbed his arm and pulled him back.

"Alex!" she called. "You kick. Zach, in the net." Dan gave Jess the "What did you do that for?" look. Jess looked back at him.

"Go down to the other end and kick for me."

"Why?" Dan asked irritably.

"Just do it," she said shoving a ball into his stomach. Angrily Dan walked to the other end and kicked the ball into the other net.

After only about a half of an hour she called time up. Alex picked up the balls, with Cody, and Dan kept on kicking. It was his way of letting out his anger. He liked Jess but why was she treating him like he was a kid. It was like people bragging over Abbey and not caring about him. He knew he could be just as good as the rest of them. He had made it to the advanced team. Why?

"Go ahead Cody," Dan heard Jess say. "We'll meet up with you."

"Don't torture him all right," Cody whispered to Jess. "He's new."

Jess smiled. Dan kicked the ball at the net. Jess ran towards the net and dove in front of the ball stopping it. She picked it up and tossed it back to him.

"Do it again."

Dan, who was holding the ball in his hands, dropped it and kicked it, hard, back at the net. Saved. For 10 minutes Dan kicked the ball at Jess and she saved it every time. Finally, Dan was fed up. With every ounce of anger and strength in his body Dan kicked that ball harder than he'd ever kicked it. Jess reached for it and it hit the end of her finger. It made a horrible cracking noise. After hitting the ball down, Jess grabbed her hand. Dan felt terrible. All his anger had ended up hurting her.

"Oh my god," he said going up to her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," she said looking up. "It just sounded bad. It's only minor. I've had worse." Dan looked at the hand she was gripping. Her ring finger was bent in a funny way. It didn't look okay.

She grabbed the jammed finger and pulled it. As she winced her finger made a popping noise that made Dan's stomach queasy. Jess flexed her finger. It was a little swollen and purple, but fine.

She looked up at Dan and smiled. "Do it again."

10 times Dan kicked the ball and 10 times in went in the net.

"That's enough," said Jess panting. "Bring the fake over here."

Until 5:30 Jess worked Dan on penalty kicks. By the time they were done Dan was almost better than Cody and Zach at wall kicks.

"Can I ask you something?" Dan asked Jess as they picked up.

"You just did," she said smiling at him. "Go ahead."

"Why didn't you let me kick with the other guys?"

"To be honest, Dan," she said sincerely, "you're not as good as them."

"Then why am I advanced."

"Because I told the coach to put you here. I know you can be better than them, but you don't learn the same way they do. You learn fast, though, a lot faster than they do. You have 10 times the dedication and heart than most people I've ever seen. That's how I knew you'd learn fast, and that's how I knew you'd make it on the advanced team."

"Thanks Jess. It means a lot to me."

"No problem."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Did she torture you?"

"No."

"What did she do to you?"

"She just, worked with me."

Dan had gone back to his room and showered. As he lay on his bed and let Cody pester him. What he was really thinking about was the stuff that Jess had said about him.

"That doesn't sound like the Jessica Lee Payton I know," said Cody,

"Jessica Lee?" said Dan. "What's with the middle name?"

"'Jessica Lee' is her first name," said Cody.

"Interesting," said Dan as he crawled under his bedding.

"Yeah," said Cody as he too crawled into bed. "Just make sure you don't call her that or she'll be the one 'putting you to sleep'."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Dan's alarm woke him up early that morning so he could go to breakfast. On purpose, Dan didn't wake Cody so, five minutes before Jess, Dan, and Beatrice were about to leave for homeroom, Cody came bursting into the mess hall, scaring some of the smaller kids who were standing nearby.

"You jerk," he said as he walked up to them. "You couldn't even make a little noise to wake me up. You… you… asshole."

"Watch it," Jess said calmly as she continued to eat. Cody, before Dan could get it, snatched his half-a-pancake off his tray and shoved it in his mouth. Dan glared at him before standing up dumping the rest of his tray into the garbage.

"It would take more than a little noise to wake you up anyway, Codster," said Beatrice as Dan sat back down. "More like a freight train coming through your room." Cody gave her a threatening look but it didn't look so threatening because his cheeks were puffed out because of the pancake. Cody swallowed the pancake and then quickly grabbed the extra orange juice bottle Jess had and jugged it.

"I was gonna give it to you anyway," said Jess as she too stood up and dumped her tray.

After Beatrice had finally given in to giving Cody her bacon, the four of them left for the office building. Cody, Dan, and Jess parted with Beatrice on the first floor. Her homeroom was the science club teacher. Dan, Cody, and Jess headed up to the 3rd level to Coach's office. As they came in they walked by Zach.

"Hey, Jess," he said as he waved hopefully at her. She raised her hand a little in response. He looked disappointed.

"All right, everyone. Quiet," said Coach when everyone had arrived. "I have a few announcements. One, don't forget, practice starts today after school. Try and have your forms in as soon as possible but they're not due until Saturday. Two, on Wednesday you will be fitted for our clothes. You will get sweatpants, sweatshirt, T-shirt, shorts, and a warm-up suit. They are for casual wear to support your team. On game days you will have to wear a certain arrangement of these clothes to support your team. I know you'll all be disappointed that you can't wear you're school uniforms but try to bear with me." Everyone in the room laughed. "Lastly, the school homecoming dance is on Friday from 6:00pm to midnight. I expect you to be responsible. Don't let your team down. That's all I have."

"You thinking 'bout going to the dance, Dan?" asked Jess.

"If you guys are going, I will," he said.

"We always do," said Cody.

"I bet I can guess who Cody's gonna ask," said Dan grinning. Jess grinned too.

"What are you talking about?" asked Cody looking nervous.

"ERIN!" Dan and Jess said at the same time right in Cody's ear.

"Shut-"Cody began but he was interrupted by Dan.

"Oh, Erin," he taunted, "will you go to the dance with me, the big strong man."

"I-"

"No way, Cody," Jess said in her most Erin voice, "I don't go out with people who say 'hallmate'!" Dan and Jess laughed.

"Come on guys," said Cody trying to get their attention. "Shut up."

"All right," said Jess breathing heavy from all her laughing. For the rest of the 10 minutes they just sat and talked normal before heading to class.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Later that night the three of them sat in the common room doing their homework. Well, two of them were doing homework. Cody was gazing lazily in to space. All of a sudden his eyes got wide. He stood up and walked away. Jess and Dan looked up. He was walking towards Wendy and Erin who were a little ways away talking.

"Hey," said Erin when he reached them.

"Hi," he said back looking nervous.

"Bye," said Wendy walking away to avoid a conversation where Cody would try and impress Erin.

"So," he said trying to sound casual. "I was wondering-"

"Erin!" somebody called from the other side of the room.

"Yeah," she answered.

"Your parents are on the long distance phone!"

"Sorry, Cody," Erin said. "See you later." She flipped her hair over her shoulder and walked away. Cody walked sadly back to Jess and Dan.

"Oo," said Dan. "Strike one." Cody plopped down on the floor and started his homework.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"So, Jess, you gonna ask anyone to the dance?"

"It's the guy's job to ask, but if someone asked me I'd say no. I've got to keep my no date rep up."

It was Wednesday. It seemed that all week during practice every boy on the team had asked Jess to the dance. The person who was pestering her now, was Zach.

"Why don't you want any dates?" he asked.

"'Cause that's not what I do," she said flatly. "Now drop it." She passed the back to her partner, Dan. Cody passed his ball to his partner, Zach.

"I'm willing to bet you a hundred that Zach's asking Jess to the dance now," Cody told Dan who was standing next to him, on the opposite side of the field from Zach and Jess.

"Normally, I would take that bet, but unfortunately I know it's true."

The rest of practice was normal. Afterward the advanced boys stayed for their practice. Today they worked on the first move Jess had demo-ed. The one Jess called "the slide."

Cody was watching Jess explain to Zach what he had done wrong that made him hurt his shoulder. Dan and Cody knew the reason he had done it was so Jess would roll his shoulder.

Then, something caught Cody's eye. No, it was some_one_. Someone was walking across campus. Erin. Cody ran over to her.

Without think he burst out, "Erin! Wouldyougotothedancewithme?!"

"Sorry," she said as she stopped. "I didn't catch that."

Cody took a deep breath. "Would you…go to….the dance with me?"

This was the only time Cody had actually managed to get the question out. The other day he had been talking to Erin, well, really he had just been rambling on, and he didn't hear the bell ring or notice that Erin had walked away. So, not only did he not get to ask her, he was late for class. Strike two.

"Oh, Cody," said Erin after she understood what he said. "I'm sorry. I'm going with my boyfriend."

"Oh," he said looking very depressed. "It's okay. Bye." He slowly made his way back to the field.

"Strike three," said Dan to himself as he watched Cody return. "You're out."

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I lost my girl,

da na, na, na,

No I'm a lonely man,

da na, na, na,

What will I do without my honey holdin' my hand?!"

"This is sad on so many levels," said Jess as she watched Cody, who was sitting on his bed, sing the blues song he had written.

"What's even sadder is how long he's been doing it," said Dan as he too watched the interesting sight. The two of them were quiet for a minute.

"That's my guitar," said Jess.

"Hmm."

Quiet.

"I can't take this anymore," Jess said. She walked up to Cody and grabbed the neck of her guitar to make him stop.

"Get a grip," she said. "You just gotta get out there and get another girl or just wait for her to come to her senses. And you also have to give me my guitar back." She tried to pull it out of his hands.

"That's it!" he said standing up, still holding onto the guitar. "I'll get a girlfriend to make Erin jealous."

"Yeah. Sure. Whatever," she said, though only seeming interested in getting her guitar back. Cody thought for a moment and then smiled at Jess. He put his arm around her shoulders and she looked at him with eyebrows raised.

"Hey, Jess," said Cody, "you wanna help an old friend?"

"Not in a million years." She wrenched the guitar out of his hand, then ducked under his arm and walked out.

"Do you think it's a good idea?" Cody asked Dan after Jess closed the door behind herself.

"Honestly," said Dan, "I think it's the _worst_ idea I _ever_ heard you say, BUT, I've only heard you say a few ideas."

Cody sighed and plopped back down on his bed. "No wonder Erin doesn't like me, I'm pathetic."

"You're not pathetic," said Dan walking over to Cody. "That blues song was but your not. You don't even know if Erin likes you or not."

"She has a boyfriend."

"You're not helping."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

"I told you I was pathetic."

"You're not pathetic."

"You're both pathetic."

Cody, Dan, and Jess were at the school dance sitting alone at a table. They seemed to be the only people wearing jeans. Jess justified it by saying that she had put a nice shirt on. Not that any of them cared.

"Why are we pathetic?" asked Dan.

"Well, you're both here, dateless, at a _dance_."

"You're dateless," said Cody.

"Because I _want_ to do be," said Jess. "The second I announce that I want to dance half the boys here will come running up."

"Did I hear you say you want to dance?" a boy asked Jess.

"No!" she said. The boy walked sadly away.

"My point," Jess said pointing after the boy. She stood up to go get something to drink. Cody and Dan sat quietly. Cody looked around. He saw Erin a couple tables away sitting next to Wendy and a boy Cody recognized from Civics. His name was Josh. He must be Erin's boyfriend.

Cody stared at Erin for a long time. When Jess came back she saw him and whispered in his ear, "Take a picture. It'll last longer."

Cody glared at her.

"Hey, guys," said Lynn as she walked up to Cody, Dan, and Jess. Lynn was 1 of 3 of Cody's older sisters. She was sixteen and she looked exactly like Beatrice without the glasses and she had two braids instead of a ponytail.

"What's up?" she asked.

"I'm pathetic," said Cody.

"I already knew _that_," said Lynn. "Let me rephrase my question. What's _new_?"

"Thanks for making me feel better," said Cody. He turned to Jess. "Can I borrow your key? I need to go sing."

"Knock yourself out," said Jess tossing him her key. He took it and walked away.

"What's wrong with him?" asked Lynn.

"Other than the weirdness," said Jess.

"Yeah."

"His crush got a boyfriend," said Dan.

"Poor guy," said Lynn starring after Cody. A minute later Lynn's boyfriend came up and asked Lynn to dance. She left Dan and Jess alone.

"Wanna go watch Cody sing?" asked Jess.

"Sure."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

On Monday, during 8th hour, Dan, Cody, and Alex sat and listened to Mr. Zit drone on about car engines.

Dan noticed Cody's expression change suddenly and he didn't like the look of it.

"Mr. Pimple," Cody interrupted.

"It's Mr. Zit, Cody," said Mr. Zit.

"What's the difference?!" said Cody smiling. The class was silent.

"What is this, an audience or a jury?!" He smiled again. Every face in the class gaped back at him.

"You thought it was funny, didn't you Dan?" Cody asked his friend hopefully. Dan slide down in his seat and hid behind his book.

"I'm alone," said Cody.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I heard you had a nice performance today during 8th hour," Jess said to Cody during advanced practice.

"Thanks for telling her, _Dan_," Cody said as he glared at Dan.

Jess sighed.

"What?" asked Cody.

"Zach screwed up again," she said sounding annoyed.

"You do know the only reason he's doing that is so you'll touch him," said Dan.

"Yeah," said Jess. "Well if he wants a show I'll give him a show." She stormed over to Zach and began yelling at him.

Cody looked around. Erin was walking with her boyfriend. They were pretty close to the soccer field. Soon they were close enough to the point where Dan and Cody could hear them.

"You have no respect for women," yelled Erin.

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Josh.

"It doesn't matter," she said. "We're through." She stormed away. Cody's eyes got really big. The look on his face made it seem like Christmas had just come for him. He started doing this dance that looked like he was running in place. He ran up to Josh and yelled in his face, "You got SERVED!"

"Are you talking about Erin?" asked Josh. "It wasn't worth it anyway. She was annoying. The only reason I was dating her was because she's filthy stinkin' rich."

The smile was instantly wiped off Cody's face. He got an angry look in his eye.

"Uh, oh," said Dan.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

Mrs. Linstrum: I can't BELIEVE you would do something like this!

Cody: I'm sorry mom. It just kinda, happened.

Mrs. Linstrum: 'Just kinda happened,' 'Just kinda happened!'

Cody: Oh boy.

Mrs. Linstrum: Well, let's just say if it, 'Just kinda happens' again, you'll have more to deal with than just a weeks detentions!

There was a click as Mrs. Linstrum hung up.

"Is she mad?" asked Dan who was lying on his bed.

"Mad, no," answered Cody as he hung up the phone. "Furious, yes."

"I can't believe you slugged him," said Dan smiling.

"Neither can I," said Cody as he sat down at his desk.

"I can't believe you broke his nose."

"Okay. I get it. You can't believe I did it. I got it."

"And now," said Dan almost laughing, "you have to stay in 'ISS'," (In School Suspension), "tomorrow with old, smelly, Miss Shoeberry. And don't forget the detentions."

Cody chucked the soccer ball that sat in the corner of their room at Dan. Dan caught it and tossed it back in the corner.

"You should really consider anger management," Dan said to Cody.

"I never needed anger management until you came along."

There was a knock on the door. Dan got up and answered it.

"Is Cody here?" asked Erin trying to look past Dan in to the room.

"Why do you want to know?" asked Dan blocking her from getting in. He had an idea of why she was here.

"Just move," she said trying to get past him. Finally she managed to duck under his arm and get into the room. She went for Cody. He backed up against the wall with a terrified look on his face.

"How could you do this?" she asked him fiercely. "If you were just jealous of him you chose a bad way to get my attention!"

"I wasn't-"

"You weren't what?! Jealous! Then what were you?"

"Ihithimbecauseofwhathesaid," Cody said quickly so she couldn't interrupt him.

"What could he possibly have said to make you do that?"

"He said he was only going out with you 'cause your rich." Cody winced as if waiting for the blow.

"Yeah, right," said Erin. Just then Josh walked by.

"Well look at this," he said, "a nerd cowering to a girl."

"Josh!" said Erin turning to face him. "Were you only going out with me for my money?"

"Yeah," he said as if it was obvious. "Why else would I date… _you_?"

Personally, I don't think I need to repeat the word Josh said when Erin punched him on the nose.


	7. The Terrible Secret

CHAPTER 7 THE TERRIBLE SECRET

"That dude's gotta be feeling bad," said Jess. "He got beat up by a nerd, and a girl."

"Hey!" said Cody.

Cody, Dan, Wendy, Jess, and Erin were making their way to homeroom together on Wednesday, discussing Josh, (as you may have guessed). Cody and Erin had become a little friendlier since she slugged Josh, to Dan, Jess, and Wendy's displeasure. Cody was constantly trying to impress Erin and it got old after a while.

As they entered the office building, none of them noticed the "wet floor" sign. Wendy and Erin were the unlucky ones who stepped on the wet floor, then slipped, and fell on their backs.

"Erin!" Cody said as reached down to help her up. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she answered as he pulled her onto her feet. Cody completely ignored Wendy as he made sure Erin was fine and then began to continue down the hall. Jess reached out to help Wendy up.

"I hate him," Wendy said through gritted teeth as she brushed herself off and glared down the hall at Cody. Wendy continued with the others, but made sure she was not near Cody.

Erin and Wendy parted with Dan, Jess, and Cody when they reached their homeroom. Coach's office was still a little ways down the hall.

"All right you all," said Coach when the bell rang. "Now I know originally we weren't going to have practice this Thursday, but, seeing as we have our first scrimmage on Saturday, I see it fit that we get extra practice in seeing as were playing…_St. Christopher._" The way he said St. Christopher showed Dan just how much of a rival they were to St. Mary's. Dan looked over at Jess to ask her what she thought of St. Christopher. Before he spoke he noticed that Jess looked quite upset. He didn't know if it was about St. Christopher or about practice. When he was about to ask her, though, she stood up and walked over to Coach who was sitting at his desk.

"Coach," she said quietly when she reached him.

"Jess," he said. "I know what you're going to say. I wasn't planning on having practice tomorrow but I think the team needs it. We can't beat St. Christopher. I need to get them ready. I would like it if you came to practice but I'll understand if you don't. You don't have advanced practice that day anyway."

"All right, sir," she said still looking upset. She walked back to her seat, plopped down and sighed.

"What's wrong?" asked Dan. She looked up at him and changed her expression back to normal.

"Nothing," she said. "I was just telling Coach that we should get a break during the week. He didn't change his mind, though."

"I thought you love practice," said Dan.

"Everybody needs a break," she said. After that she refused to talk about the subject. Dan also noticed that Cody looked uncomfortable again. The way he had during break the first day.

OOOOOOOOOOOO

The next day is when Dan got real worried about Jess. She didn't meet them at their room in the morning to go have breakfast like she usually did. She wasn't _at_ breakfast either. She didn't even show up for homeroom. They always went to homeroom so they could talk to their teammates. Dan was smart enough to know that Jess wasn't just sick. She knew yesterday that today was a bad day for her.

Finally, just before the bell rang, Jess turned up in Communications. When she came in she didn't look up at Dan or Cody, nor did she talk to anyone she just sat down and got her stuff out of her school bag.

She looked like she was sick. She was pale, and had dark circles around her eyes. Dan had never seen her like this before, though Dan had only known her for less than a month.

"What's wrong?" he whispered to her quietly. She ignored him. Cody turned around to face Dan a little and shook his head to indicate not to talk to Jess.

"Why?" Dan mouthed. Cody turned forward again, wrote something down on a piece of paper and then tossed it back to Dan. Dan unfolded it.

_Just don't_

is all the note said.

It was awkward, not talking to Jess. She was always very open and now, all of a sudden, she wasn't talking at all. For the first time all year Dan was relieved he didn't have 7th and 8th hour with Jess.

"What's wrong with her?" Dan asked Cody as they headed into 8th hour.

"Her who?" Cody asked innocently. Dan could see right through him.

"Don't you 'her who' me. You know exactly who I'm talking about," Dan said fiercely. They were hiding something from him and he wanted to know, now.

"You should really learn to be more specific-"

"Jess!" Dan yelled.

"Oh," said Cody getting that uncomfortable look on his face. "That her. Um, well, I can't really tell you."

"Why not?" asked Dan. He was sick of play this little game.

"It's not my place," Cody said simply. Dan knew Cody wanted to tell him. Yet, he didn't. _It's not my place_. It was Jess's business. She was the only one who could tell him.

Practice was lonely. Jess never said a word. She did what she had to and that was it. She didn't do anything spectacular, nor did she even do as well as she could. Normally she would show off to make the other guys angry, but today, nothing. And as soon as practice ended, Jess was the first one in the locker room and the first one out, which is the opposite of what she usually does.

Cody and Dan headed back to their dorm, alone, showered and then started on their homework. Dan finished before Cody so he wrote a letter to his mom.

_Dear Mom,_

_Everything's good here. Soccer's been going fine. School, fine. Abbey, fine. I hope your fine back home. I miss you. Nothing else really new. I guess I'll talk to you later._

_Sincerely,_

_Dan_

_P.S. You don't need to write every week. If something happens, we'll tell you._

He put the letter in an envelope and sealed it. Then he headed downstairs to put it in the mailbox. When he reached the common room and had put his letter in the mailbox, he noticed something outside the window. When he looked closer he saw it was Jess. She was sitting on the grass in the middle of campus. He opened the door and went outside. He walked quietly up to her and stood behind her for a minute.

"Go away," she said quietly.

"It's me," said Dan.

"That doesn't change anything."

"What's wrong?"

"Leave."

"I just want to help."

"Trust me when I say, you can't," she said as she stood up. She gave Dan one look before walking back to the dorm.

"Can't I try?" he asked following her.

"Look, Dan," she said angrily as she stopped and spun around to face him. "I know you're my friend and you want to help but I just want to be alone, and you're not helping by bothering me."

"Exactly, Jess, I'm your friend, and you're not telling me something."

Jess continued to walk unmoved. She pulled open the door to the dorm and headed in. Dan sprinted after her as fast as he could, flying though the door and up the stairs. He passed Jess in the hallway. She was far enough away from her door to give Dan enough time to throw himself in front of it.

"Dan, get out of the way," she said in a dangerous voice.

Dan stood up tall and strong. "No."

"Dan, get the fuck out of the way."

Dan was surprised. Jess swore but she was usually careful not to say fuck.

"I'm just trying to be a good friend. I hate seeing you like this," he said a little softer than his "No."

"Right now, I don't need a good friend, I need to be alone."

"How is being alone gonna help anything?"

Dan could see Jess was pissed off now. He had done it. Jess balled up her fist as tight as she could and then punched Dan in the stomach with every ounce of emotion she had in her. Dan doubled over but did not move. After a minute Dan stood up again. Jess's face looked satisfied. Dan's stomach ached so badly but he didn't show it. He looked Jess right in the eye. He had never seen her hit somebody like that before. He was hurt, but something in the back of his mind told him that this wasn't Jess in front of him. The real Jess needed help. Dan didn't move.

When Jess saw he wasn't moving she threw her hands up in the air and yelled out in anger. She gave Dan a dangerous look but it quickly changed to an even more tired and sick look than earlier. She took a few steps back until she reached the wall and then collapsed against it. Dan looked at her for a minute. Suddenly, it hit him that she was crying. She never cried.

"Jess," he said quietly. She didn't answer. Her shoulders shook as tears rolled down her face. She tried to hide them with her hands.

Dan walked over and knelt down next to her. He didn't' know what to say. Jess turned and looked at him with her big blue eyes. They were red from crying.

"I'm sorry," she said in a shaky voice. "I'm so sorry."

Dan nodded to show he understood. Jess leaned back against the wall and let her head hit it. She closed her eyes as one more tear rolled down her cheek.

Dan was in uncharted waters. He didn't know what to say. He chose not to say anything to avoid making it worse.

After a long silence, Jess turned her head to look at Dan.

"You're a great friend," she said. "Nobody else would've stuck around after what I did."

Dan nodded. "Maybe I just know when you don't really mean it or if it's not really you doing it to me, if you know what I mean."

Jess smiled. "You've only known me for 3 weeks."

"Maybe that's just enough time," Dan said smiling at her. Jess looked at him for a long time before standing up. Dan watched her but did not get up himself. Jess brushed herself off and then turned to Dan and held out her hand. Dan took it and hoisted himself up.

"I want to show you something," she said. He nodded. Jess walked over to her door and unlocked it. She stepped in and held the door open for Dan. He followed her in.

Dan rarely went into Jess and Beatrice's room. Beatrice took a lot of hard classes and extra academic clubs so she was working on homework a lot, and usually preferred the quiet of her own room to the hustle of the crowded common room. Beatrice was not in her room, though. Her desk was clear of all books and tools. Dan figured she also knew about Jess's problem and chose to give Jess the room to herself.

Jess walked over to her desk which was the one closest to door, across from her bed which was the one up against the short wall. She looked at one small shelf that contained what looked to be photo albums. Pull out the second one. It was completely black with the word "Photo's" written in silver writing on it. She looked down at it for a long time before she spoke.

"When I was little…my mom and I had this thing where when one of us had a bad day, we would go out and drive together. Just drive nothing special. Sing along to our favorite songs."

Dan saw another tear roll down Jess's face.

"One time," she continued, "exactly five years ago, September 18 2003, when my mom had had a really bad day, we were driving. We drove through a four way intersection, and, on the left side at the same time, coming perpendicular to us, was a drunk driver in a stolen semi truck." Dan winced a little. He could only guess what happened next. Jess seemed beyond tears now. She looked like she could barely hold herself together. She still managed to keep her voice strong, though.

"He hit us on the driver's side," Jess continued. "Mom died before the ambulance even got there. Mom." Jess said this more to herself than Dan. As if she wished she could say that word to someone, not to a memory.

"We were so close," she confessed. "Like sisters, best friends, and mother and daughter all at the same time. And I had to watch it. I was in the hospital for 3 months. The first week of that I was knocked out."

She flipped open the photo album and pulled out a picture. She looked at it for a second. They heard footsteps in the hallway. There was a knock on the door and before either of them could answer it the door swung open. Cody stood in the doorway. He looked at Jess.

"You told him," he said apparently guessing from the look on her face. She nodded. Cody closed the door and walked over to her. He put his arm around her shoulders and looked down at the picture in her hand.

"Jess and I have been friends since we were five," Cody said without looking up from the picture. "It's not easy going through this with your friends and it's a hell of a lot harder to hide it from your new ones." He looked up at Dan. "I wanted to but it's Jess's life. It's her choice to tell you."

"I understand," Dan said feeling bad for snapping at Cody earlier.

Jess handed Dan the picture and said, "This was taken a little while after I woke up."

"It was taken by me," said Cody. "We took all kinds of pictures back then, whether they were good or bad."

Dan hesitated before looking down at the picture. When he finally did he almost regretted it. The picture was of when Jess had been in the hospital. She looked completely different. She was small, skinny, and pale. Her face looked shrunken. She had dark circles around her eyes which were wide, not in surprise, but in fear. She had tubes up her nose and up one arm. The other arm was in a sling with 3 broken fingers. Her leg was in a cast. She had bruises all over. There were many machines around her. Dan didn't know what any of them did.

"That leg that's in a cast," Jess explained, "was broken in 20 places."

"Who's the little boy sitting in the chair by your bed?" Dan asked barely noticing the small boy hidden off to the side of the picture.

"That's my little brother, Nate," Jess said sounding a little bit happier that they weren't talking about the accident. "He's three years younger than me and has a different dad."

"Your mom didn't stay with you're father?" Dan asked as he handed back the picture.

"More like he didn't stay with her," she said sounding more angry than sad now. "Mom was only 16 when I was born. _He_ was 18 and wanted nothing to do with me. He hitched a ride out of there faster than you can say 'jackass.'" Jess gave a little smile at this. "Not that Mom cared. He wasn't good to her for the short time they were together. They were never married if you haven't already guessed that."

Dan sighed. He couldn't believe how strong Jess was to make it through all this. He admired her even more.

"I lied to you Dan," said Jess after a moment of silence. Her voice had returned to being grim. Dan was surprised at this comment. Not only had it come out of nowhere, Jess was known for being very honest, no matter what.

"What do you mean?" Dan asked.

"About my glasses," she said. "When I was in the accident, I suffered from very minor brain damage. It only affected my eye sight. I had surgery but I still need reading glasses….The worst part, though, was the recovery. I barely talked to anybody other than Nate. I felt I had to take care of him. I was the only one he had left. We ended up in an orphanage far from where we were actually from. It was hard to accept that I wasn't going to see Mom again. I learned a lot in that time. I learned that you've got to live life to the max. I also found out, eventually, that I would see my mom again."

"You're really strong, Jess," said Dan. "It takes guts to live through something like this." Dan thought it was sad that to figure out how to live life the right way, you have to go through something like this. Death is the only way to get us to realize that we can't waste time. Dan thought that if he ever went through something like that, he would never recover.

"You wanna know what's weird," said Jess looking at Dan, "You're the only person I've ever told."

"Just because I'm a good friend?" asked Dan.

"I don't know why," she said as she sat down on her bed. "I just felt you deserved to know."


	8. Crime and Punishment

CHAPTER 8 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

CHAPTER 8 CRIME AND PUNISHMENT

Dan was very nervous Saturday morning. Even though it was only a scrimmage Dan knew that the team would hate him if they lost to St. Christopher's. Dan had improved a lot so far this year. The advanced practices were helping the most. He knew he would probably play good but he was still very nervous.

As Dan laid bed waiting for game time, he was restless. After 5 minutes he couldn't take it anymore and he walked down the hall to Jess's room and knocked on her door.

"What?" Jess asked when she answered. From the expression on her face and from her clothes, (she was wearing her white undershirt and red plaid pajama pants), she had just gotten up.

"Oh, sorry," said Dan. "I didn't know you were asleep. I'll just go."

"It doesn't matter, I'm up now," said Jess irritably. "What do you want?"

"I was hoping you'd drill me before the scrimmage," he said.

She thought for a minute before saying, "I'll meet you at the field in fifteen minutes."

Early morning in Minnesota is never very warm. Both Dan and Jess were wearing sweatshirts as she worked Dan on stuff she knew he needed to work on, and reviewed some stuff with him. The sun was just rising and there was a blanket of dew of the field. By the time they headed off to breakfast their socks were soaked through, and their feet were numb.

After breakfast Alex, Zach, Cody, and some other boys from the team joined them. For four hours they worked and then they went to have lunch together. After lunch, Zach, Cody, Dan, and Jess decided to take a break. They passed the time until the game by playing video games. Finally, at 1:00 they headed down to the field. As they walked to the locker rooms they saw the St. Christopher's bus parked near the entrance.

"Let's puncture the tires," said Cody.

"And throw rocks at the windows," said Zach excitedly. "That'll show 'em we mean business."

"You do that," said Jess. "Call me from detention."

"She right you know," said Dan. Zach and Cody walked glumly away from the bus and headed into the locker room. A couple other boys were there already. Dan noticed most of them were the new people to the school. They turned in their forms and money to Coach and he gave them kits complete with practice and game uniforms.

"These are nice," Dan said as he held up the home game uniform. It was a white jersey with two black stripes down each side and in between the black stripes, was one larger red stripe. "Cardinals" was written in red with black outlining, diagonally across the front. The numbers on the back were written in large black letters. The shorts were the same other than the "Cardinals." Instead they had the small cardinal head on the right leg. The socks for both home and away were red.

"Yeah they are," said Jess as she made her way to her stall. "Coach is very picky about his jerseys."

As Dan put away his new clothes he looked at the away jersey. They were similar to the home ones, except they were red with a large white stripe and they said "St. Mary's" instead of "Cardinals." The shorts were different because instead of matching the color of the jersey they were black, with a large white stripe and two red stripes. They still looked quite sharp.

Jess, Dan, and Cody talked as they got dressed (they just wore their practice uniforms for scrimmages). Dan, Cody, and Jess had all gotten their favorite numbers. Dan was 12, Cody was 23, and Jess was 9.

Dan was surprised that Jess was so comfortable about changing in front of guys. All she changed were her shirt and shorts but still, most girls would go hide in a bathroom stall. Jess acted as if it was business as usual. (Most of the boys stared as she changed. She pretended not to notice). The boys had to give her distance, though. If any of them did anything that Jess was uncomfortable with they were off the team. And, if the Coach did anything, he was fired. These were the same rules as for a girl's high school soccer team with a male coach.

Fifteen minutes after they finished changing Coach came in and gave a short speech. (He had to ask if Jess was decent so he wouldn't walk in on her). It was almost identical to the one he had given after their last practice. Most of the boys (especially the returns) didn't listen. Finally, a half hour before the game started, Coach let them out. They did a quick two-minute jog, then they did some stretching, and lastly they did their warm up routine.

Finally the referee blew the whistle and the teams went to their bench.

"All right," said Coach as they all leaned in to hear what he was saying, "I want Morgan," (Zach, Morgan is his last name), "and Rattison at forward, Jess is my striker. Stewart, Vandly, Linstrum, and Cotton at midfield. Carry and Dooly at D, Jones you're my sweeper. Sheaver, you're in goal. Got it? Now let's go kick some St. Christopher a- …butt!" Coach caught himself before he swore.

"Yeah!" the team cheered in agreement.

"All right everyone!" Jess yelled out to them. "WHO'S HOUSE?"

"OUR HOUSE!" the team yelled back.

"WHO'S HOUSE?!"

"OUR HOUSE!

"WHO'S HOUSE?!"

"OUR HOUSE!"

"Cardinals on three. ONE, TWO, THREE!"

"CARDINALS!!" After that everyone jumped back and, those who were playing ran out on to the field and into position. Jess, being captain, had to walk up to the other captain, whose name was Joey Ansel, and shake hands. It looked more like they were trying o break each other's fingers, (Dan felt bad for Ansel). After shaking hands the ref flipped a coin. It was Jess's call.

"Heads," she said glaring at Ansel. He glared back. The coin hit the ground. The side that was face up had a face on it.

"Heads!" yelled the ref. "St. Mary's ball." Ansel backed up so he was on his team's side. The ball was set on the center spot. Jess lined up with it. The ref blew the whistle to signal Jess could go. Jess went up to the ball and passed it over to Zach, who passed it behind himself to Vandly at midfield. The forwards started to push their way up the field while Vandly, with two midfielders to back him up. Jess ran ahead. Vandly passed it to her. It was almost intercepted by the other team but, somehow, it made it to Jess. Jess began to take it towards the net. Ansel tried to take it from her. She passed it to Dan. He took it towards the net dodging people. He got there but he didn't have a clear shot. He passed it behind himself to Cody who had come up with Vandly. Cody slapped it in. It wasn't a spectacular goal but Cody wasn't known for amazing goals, that's why he was a midfielder. He was more the quarterback of the team.

Most of the small crowd cheered. The crowd was mostly made up of St. Mary's students, and some parents that lived nearby. Some St. Christopher parents that lived nearby also came.

Jess grinned as she walked past Ansel and back into position.

"It's not even five minutes in and we already got a goal," she said slyly. "Looks like it's gonna be a short game."

"It's not over till the fat lady sings," said Ansel.

"There's no need to bring your mother into this." Jess grinned. Ansel burned red. Two minutes later Jess got a direct free kick because Ansel had "accidentally" kicked her jaw while he was trying to kick the ball. Dan thought Jess was lucky she didn't lose some teeth.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

_It's 3 to 3. No time left. I can do this._ Dan was lined up for his direct free kick. Ansel had kicked him, too, right as the buzzer went off to end the game, but he still got a free kick. So far he had two goal assists, but no goals. Jess had two goals and Cody had one. This was his chance. If he made this they would win the game because of him and…

St. Christopher's' defense had set up "the wall" (predictable). The five players making it were giving him dangerous looks. Daring him to try and score on them. Dan tried not to think about them.

Finally, he ran up and kicked the ball. It curved over the heads of the five players and right past the goalie. To Dan it looked like it had happened in slow motion. _He had done it._

He jumped up and punched the air. His team ran towards him, crowded around him, and patted him on the back. It was only a scrimmage, but still…it was St. Christopher's.

"Great job Rattison," said Coach as he walked over to the mass of St. Mary's players. "I just might keep you."

"Thanks, Coach," said Dan, smiling.

"It's a good thing I worked you so hard on free kicks."

Dan smiled at Jess. "Are you kidding me?" he said sarcastically. "That was pure talent."

"Right."

After the game, as Dan, Zach, and Cody headed back to their dorm, (Jess had to talk to Coach), Zach elbowed Cody and said, "Look what I brought from the bathroom." Zach opened his duffel bag and in it were many rolls of toilet paper. He nodded towards the St. Christopher's bus and grinned. Cody grinned back and grabbed one of the rolls and the two of them, Zach and Cody, ran towards the bus.

"Guys," Dan called to them as he followed them. "Are you fricken insane? You'll be expelled, and Cody you'll be murdered."

"Relax a little, Dan," said Cody. "It's not like we're gonna get caught."

So, Zach and Cody threw the toilet paper to each other from opposite sides of the bus, covering it in toilet paper. Dan, meanwhile, was trying to convince them to stop. Suddenly, in the midst of the "This is the best prank _ever"_ and "Will you guys just _stop!_" the three boys heard, "Good afternoon, boys." It was the headmaster.

"We are so dead," said Zach.

"Murder me now, Dan. It'll be less painful than what my mom does to me."

"Sorry, buddy," said Dan. "You did it, now you're gonna have to face the music."

OOOOOOOOOOOO

Dan didn't need to ask Cody what his mom had said to him on the phone this time. He could here her from across the room.

"TWO TIMES IN ONE MONTH!! I CAN'T _BELIEVE_ YOU!! THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE AND IT SURE AS SUGAR _NEVER_ HAPPENED WITH ANY OF YOUR SISTER'S!! YOU ARE LUCKEY THEY ARE ONLY SUSPENDING YOU!! IF I WAS YOUR HEADMASTER YOU WOULD'VE GOTTEN THE BOOT A LONG TIME AGO!! AND TRUST ME, IF THIS HAPPENS AGAIN, _I_ WILL EXPLELL YOU FOR SURE!!"

There was a click as she hung up. Cody hadn't even gotten to say anything. It now looked like he was deaf. Dan didn't feel bad for him at all.

"I can't believe you got me a weeks worth of detention," said Dan as he lay on his bed, glumly. He had too been punished for being an "accomplice." Zach had a 2 weeks detention, _and _a week off the soccer team. Cody, this being his second offense, got the same as that _and_ a weeks suspension. When you're suspended you are not allowed on any teams or clubs for the time of the suspension, so that meant that Cody wasn't allowed on the soccer team for two weeks.

"For the millionth time, I'm sorry," said Cody as he plopped down on his bed. "I tried to tell the headmaster you were trying to stop us."

"I don't think my dad will ever talk to me again," said Dan.

"I'm sorry."

"You should be."

All of a sudden the door opened.

"I can't believe you guys did that," said Jess as she walked in.

Dan bolted upright. "I didn't do it! I was trying-"

"Chillax, Dan," said Jess as she sat in his desk chair. "I know you didn't. So," she turned to Cody, "what'd your mom say?"

"Couldn't you here her down the hall?" Cody said sarcastically.

"Well," said Jess after a minute of silence, "I don't wan to stay too long. Your juvie-ness might rub off on me." She stood up to leave.

"That's not funny!" Cody called after her as she walked out.

OOOOOOOOOOO

The next day Jess and Dan hung out together while Zach and Cody were in suspension. Dan got up early, and went down to her room. As he was knocking on the door, it opened. Jess was standing in the doorway wearing nice khaki pants, and a short-sleeved, dark red, v-cut, collared shirt. She looked quite nice.

"Why are you all dressed up?" he asked her.

"Cause I'm going to church," she said flatly as she leaned against the doorframe. "To pray that you will not vandalize again."

"I-"

"I know, I know," said Jess before Dan could say anything. "It was a joke."

"Why are you going to church, then?"

"Because I haven't gone I a while."

"Can I come?"

"Sure."

Dan and Jess met up later and walked to the chapel together.

"You know," Dan said quietly as they walked, "I actually don't go to church. My parents made us go one time, when we were at a place where we thought we would stay a long time. We didn't get to go again 'cause we moved."

"That's all right," said Jess. "I'll so you the ropes of being Lutheran."

He smiled. He was happy to have this time with Jess.

When they entered the chapel, Dan saw that there were quite a few students in the entryway. He even recognized a few of them. He'd never really thought of any of them as being religious.

There was a large bulletin board with things on it. Most of the kids were reading it. Jess and Dan glanced over it. It had flyers for service hours, and flyers for any events that were happening at the church.

Finally, people started filing into the church. Everyone sat down and waited until the pastor started talking. There were two pastors at the church, one young new one name Pastor Ben, and his mentor Pastor Dean. Pastor Dean was doing this service. He was actually quite funny. First, he did his introduction, and then they did the greetings. Next they sung a hymn, and after that was the sermon. Second to last, they did communion (the small church band made up of students played music during this time), and finally, they sung another hymn, and the pastor gave his sending.

"That was actually better than the church my parents made me go to," said Dan as him and Jess walked out of the church.

"The pastors here are funny," said Jess. "Let's go change and then we can find something else to do."

The rest of the day the just messed around. At 6:00 Dan had to go to detention, so Jess went to dinner alone. After getting her food, she looked around for a place to sit. She saw Wendy and Erin sitting alone at a table. She walked up to them.

"Can I sit here?" she asked.

"Sure," Erin said sweetly. Jess sat down.

"You look lonely," said Wendy.

"I am," said Jess. "The juvies are all locked up so I can't screw around with them."

"Cody's actually really nice," said Erin.

"Yeah, to you," said Wendy. "But not to anyone else."

"Well maybe if you were nicer-"

"Nice?! To him! You're joking right?" Wendy interrupted.

"Well, he's nice to me and I'm nice to him," said Erin. Her face flushed all of a sudden. "Like yesterday…" Her voice trailed off.

"What happened yesterday?" asked Jess.

"Well…" said Erin looking nervous, "Cody and I were flirting. Well, actually, he came up to me and said a joke and then I laughed and then he laughed and then he said I looked nice and I said thanks and he said there was nice weather lately and I agreed and then he looked up at a cloud and I looked up at the same cloud and he said it was a pretty cloud just like me-"

"Just stop already!" said Wendy. "I already lost my appetite at 'flirting'."

Jess looked like she was going to be sick. "I lost my appetite at Cody."

"Good one," said Wendy holding her hand up to Jess. Jess slapped it.

"You guys are so immature," said Erin looking embarrassed.

"The truth hurts, my friend," said Jess.

OOOOOOOOOOOOO

"I can't _believe_ you got me punished," Dan hissed at Cody during their detention together.

"I told you I was sorry," Cody whispered back.

"Sorry doesn't get me out of detention," Dan said quietly. "Old man Denis drools extra worse today."

"At least you didn't have to sit here all day and do whatever drooly here tells you to do."

"That's your own fault."

"Will you to lady's zip it before we all get expelled for talking during detention," Zach hissed at the two of them.

Mr. Denis is the Com. (Communications) teacher who ran detention and suspension with Miss Shoeberry. He usually fell asleep during detention sessions and, as you may have guessed, he drooled in his sleep.

"Next time I won't bother to stay and try and stop you," Dan whispered angrily at Cody.

"I told you-"

"I know. You're sorry. Well sorry won't cut it until my detentions are over, bub."

"Hey, Lois and Lucy," Zach hissed. "If you don't shut up I'm going to pop you one and make you take the punishment."


	9. Another Dance

CHAPTER 9 ANOTHER DANCE

CHAPTER 9 ANOTHER DANCE

Monday came around. It had been a long week for Dan. For the first time in a long time he was glad to go to school. Jess and Dan went to classes together that week because Cody was in suspension. The only time Dan saw him that week was at detention and after detention. He and Zach were also not at practice that week. Dan was more sympathetic toward Cody at the end of the week, mostly because he was lonely without him, but also because Cody had gotten them permission to go to the team party Friday night. Cody had made a deal with the headmaster. They could go to the party Friday night as long as they did community service for 5 hours on Saturday.

Jess made her way to the rec. building Friday night alone. She was meeting Dan and Cody there. On her way there she saw Erin and Wendy sitting in the dormitory common room.

"Hey, guys," she called out to them. "Wanna go to a party?"

"Oh, is the one for the soccer team?" asked Erin curiously.

"Yeah," said Jess. "We're allowed to bring friends and I thought you might like to come."

"Is Cody going to be there?" she asked innocently. Wendy made a puking motion behind Erin's back.

Jess grinned. "Yeah."

Erin looked a delighted and happily agreed to come.

"I need to see this," said Wendy. She followed Jess and Erin to the party.

The three girls made their way to the rec. building common room. When the got there they saw that it had really been decked out for the party. There were colored spotlights and a disco ball and all kind s of stuff, even a DJ.

"Alright, St. Mary's boy's soccer team and friends," said the DJ into the micro phone, "are you ready to rock tonight?"

"Yeah!" shouted all the people in the room which consisted of the soccer boys and their friends and girlfriends.

"Alright let's crank it up!" The DJ played; _It's not over _by Chris Daughtry.

"Oh, I love this song," said Erin. She walked out onto the dance floor and began to dance. A couple soccer boys saw and went over to join her.

"Cody won't be happy about that," Jess said to Wendy over the noise. "It'd make him happier if we didn't tell him but why would we want him happy?"

"Exactly," said Wendy. "Let's go."

The girls made their way through the crowd to find Cody and Dan. They finally found them sitting at a table on the side eating food and talking to each other.

"Hey, Cody!" Jess called out. He turned around and saw her.

"What?!" he yelled over the noise.

"I brought you a friend but it looks like she's a little busy." Jess pointed to Erin on the dance floor. Cody's eyes got wide and he dropped his food and ran out onto the dance floor and tried to impress Erin with his dance moves. It was a lost cause.

Wendy doubled over with laughing. "You've made my day Jess," she said patting her on the shoulder. Dan waved Jess over. Wendy decided to get something to eat. Jess sat down next to Dan.

"You are the most evil person I've ever met," he said.

"Thank you, thank you very much," she said looking proud of herself. She picked off a piece of Dan's cake with her fingers and ate it.

The DJ continued to play songs. Cody kept trying to impress Erin. Jess got up and danced a couple times. Dan tried not to stare. About halfway through the DJ announced a dance competition.

"I can really impress Erin now," Cody told Dan and Jess. "I'm so gonna win this thing."

He was the third one to be eliminated. After that Erin came over to comfort Cody. He wasn't as sad anymore.

The dance competition went on. Finally Alex Sheaver was the only on left.

"Come on doesn't anyone here think they can defeat the undefeated?" asked the DJ.

It was silent for a minute.

"Oh hell," said Jess. "I'll do it," she called to the DJ as she walked on to the floor.

"Alright, girly," said the DJ (Jess glared at him), "I hope you can break dance." He turned on a song. "Let's go!"

_Let's get it started… in here._

It was the song; _Let's get it started_ by the Black Eyed Peas. Alex started getting a beat.

_And the bass keeps runnin', runnin', and runnin', runnin', and runnin', runnin', and runnin', runnin', and runnnin', runnin', and-_

Then he started to dance.

_In this context there's no disrespect _

_so when I boss 'em around, _

_you break your necks._

_We got five minutes for us to disconnect_

_From all intellect _

_Collect the rhythm effect_

_Obstacles are inefficient_

_Follow your intuition_

_Free your inner soul and break away from tradition._

He did all kinds of flips and spins and other moves Dan didn't know the name to. He had never been a dancer. Dan thought Alex was gonna be hard to beat. When the chorus came Jess began to pick up the beat and jumped in.

_Everybody, everybody,_

_Let's get it to it_

_Let's get stupid_

_Come on, get it started_

_Come on, get it started_

_Yeah, get it started_

_Let's get it started in ha_

_Let's get it started in here_

_Let's get it started in ha_

_Let's get it started in here_

_Let's get it started in ha_

_Let's get it started in here_

_Let's get it started in ha_

_Let's get it started in here_

_Yeah_

Dan was blown away. Jess had done moves Alex had done and more. It had been like watching her demo the hard moves on the first day of soccer. Alex was a little blown away, too.

Jess did the second verse on her own and then Alex jumped in with her on the chorus. The finished the song together. When they were done they were both out of breath. They high-fived each other and looked up at the DJ.

"That was amazing," said the DJ. "I've never seen moves like that before. Alright, now let's see what the crowd thinks." He held his hand over Alex. There were tons of cheers. He held his hand over Jess. The cheers came again.

"It's pretty close," said the DJ. "Let's try one more time." He had them cheer one more time. It sound like everyone there was cheering for both of them.

"I think we have a tie," the DJ finally said. "Congratulations to our two winners. Alex Sheaver," he pointed at Alex, "and…" he looked at Jess.

"Jess Payton," she called to him.

"….Jess Payton!"

After that, Jess sat down at the table with Cody and Dan. After a little while of talking, Cody was staring into space. All of a sudden, he grinned. Dan looked curiously at him as Jess asked, "What's up with you? Did you fart or something?"

"No," he said casually, still grinning, as he leaned back.

Dan looked at him like he was insane. Then some guy walked behind Jess and accidentally hit her in the head with his duffel bag.

"Watch what you're doing," Jess snapped at him as she stood up and turned to face him. "Jack-" She looked at the guy. "-ass!" She finished smiling. She through her arms around the guy and he dropped his duffel bag and hugged her back. Cody was still grinning.

"You're an asshole, too," she said letting go of the guy and turning to Cody. "You didn't say anything."

"He told me not to," said Cody. "He gave me the 'shut up or I'll kill you sign."

"I'll admit I did," said the guy to Jess.

"That doesn't change the fact that you're assholes."

"I'm I missing something?" asked Dan looking up at Jess and the guy.

"Dan this is my brother, Nate," said Jess. "Nate, this is Dan."

"Hey," said Nate reaching out for Dan. Dan shook his hand. Nate had grown a lot since Jess had been in the hospital. He looked much older, and had gained quite a bit of height. He was actually pretty tall for a 6th grader. Nate's dark blonde hair was in a buzz cut. His face was young-looking in a supple way, not a kid-ish way, with a friendly smile. He had green eyes, and it looked like he was just as athletic as Jess. They didn't look much alike.

"So, do you go here?" asked Dan as Nate sat down at their table.

"Yeah, it's my first year, though," said Nate.

"Where've you been?" asked Dan.

"In Washington D.C.," said Nate. "Special academic thing, and the 'Young Marines' convention."

"'Young Marines?'" Dan inquired.

"Yeah," said Nate. "Kids with family or interest in the Marine Corps go and they show you what they do. You get to do some stuff of your own, too. I've always had an interest in the Corps."

"Cool," said Dan.

"Yeah," said Nate getting excited talking about it. "Even Dad liked it, and he's not so crazy about the fact that I like the Corps so much, especially since he's sending me to private school. I'd join the Corps, but only for a little while. I'd help me pay for college, not that I'm too worried about that now."

"He's a spoiled shit," Jess said. "He'll get whatever he wants. D.C. is my favorite city. I want to go so badly."

"It's not my fault Dad loves me more," Nate taunted.

"You _wish_ he loved you more," she threw back. "The only reason you got to go was because of the academic thing. The 'Young Marines' was just a bonus Dad considered educational."

No more new people came to visit Jess, Dan, and Cody. Nate hung out with them the whole time. The DJ started another contest. This time it was karaoke. A lot of people went. Some were really good, and others…. well, we'll just say they weren't as good. Every body was surprised when Wendy went up.

"So sweetie," said the DJ when she got up there (she gave him a dirty look), "what song would you like?"

"Get over it," she said. "By Avril Lavigne."

"Alright," said the DJ. "Here we go!"

Then the music started to play, and Wendy started to sing.

_Slipping down a slide  
I did enjoy the ride  
Don't know what to decide  
You lied to me  
You looked me in the eye  
It took me by surprise  
Now are you gratified  
You cried to me_

"She's actually pretty good," said Cody.

"Yeah," said Cody.

_Don't turn around  
I'm sick and I'm tired of your face  
Don't make this worse  
You've already gone and got me mad  
It's too bad I'm not sad  
It's casting over  
It's just one of those things  
You'll have to get over it  
_

Wendy finished her song with a roar of applause.

"That was great!" said the DJ. "It's going to be hard to compete with."

Wendy grinned as she walked back to her seat.

"Now who's next?" asked the DJ. "Come on, don't be shy."

"I'll do it," said Erin sweetly as she stood up.

"Alright," said the DJ. "Come on up."

"You rock Erin!" Cody yelled as she made her way to the stage. Everyone stared at him. He sunk back in his seat and his faced turned red. Erin's cheeks got a little red too as she smiled.

"What song do you want?" asked the DJ.

"Our Song," she said happily as she walked to the microphone. "By Taylor Swift."

"Okay, let's go."

_I was riding shotgun with my hair undone in the front seat of his car  
He's got a one-hand feel on the steering wheel  
The other on my heart  
I look around, turn the radio down  
He says baby is something wrong?  
I say nothing I was just thinking how we don't have a song  
And he says...  
_

_Our song is the slamming screen door,  
Sneakin' out late, tapping on your window  
When we're on the phone and you talk real slow  
Cause it's late and your mama don't know  
Our song is the way you laugh  
The first date "man, I didn't kiss her, and I should have"  
And when I got home ... before I said amen  
Asking God if he could play it again_

She was really good. She looked like she was having a great time up there too.

_I was walking up the front porch steps after everything that day  
Had gone all wrong and been trampled on  
And lost and thrown away  
Got to the hallway, well on my way to my lovin' bed  
I almost didn't notice all the roses  
And the note that said...  
_

She finished the song and everyone applauded very loudly.

"That was great!" said the DJ. "Alright we have time for one more contestant before we wrap it up for tonight so…. Who's up?"

Cody smiled, stood up, and walked up to the DJ.

"I hope he's not singing," said Nate.

"You're not the only one," said Jess.

Cody whispered to the DJ. He nodded back. Then Cody walked back and the DJ announced, "Alright, we have just gotten a nomination for a singer so Jess Payton, come on up!!"

"No way," said Jess smiling and looking at Cody. "I told you that was a one time deal."

"Jess you better get up here before we have to force you," said the DJ.

"Come on," said Nate. "You're Jess Payton, you can do anything."

"I beg to differ," said Jess as she stood up and walked up to the stage.

"Alright then here we go," said the DJ as he started the music. It was fast paced, hard core, country music. Dan didn't recognize it. Jess smiled and shook her head as she looked at Cody.

"Miss Jess will be singing _Flat on the Floor _by Carrie Underwood," said the DJ.

Jess started to pick up the beat and then began to sing.

_I'm flat on the floor  
With my head down low  
Where the sky can't rain on me anymore  
Don't knock on my door cause I won't come  
I'm hiding from the storm 'til the damage gets done_

Dan was stunned. She was really good.

_Baby, baby, baby, baby tell me why  
You gotta make me, make me, make me, make me cry  
If I told you once, I told you a thousand times  
You can't knock me off my feet, when I'm already on my knees  
_

…

_  
Now I'm flat on the floor with my head down low  
Where the sky can't rain on me anymore  
Don't knock on my door cause I won't come  
I'm hiding from the storm 'til the damage gets done_

You ain't gonna get to me tonight  
I'll lay right here 'til it all blows through  
I ain't gonna raise my body  
'til there ain't no sun, 'til there ain't no sun, 'til there ain't no sun to you…

By the time she finished she was out of breath. Everyone cheered about as loud as they had for Wendy and Erin. She laughed. Dan knew she had done it before because of what she had said and how she performed.

The night ended with that. The DJ played a few more songs and one by one people headed back to their rooms.


	10. Preparation

CHAPTER 10 PREPARATION

CHAPTER 10 PREPARATION

The day after the dance Dan, Zach, and Cody all did their community service by picking up liter around town.

"What kind of person just throws their garbage on the ground?" Cody asked as he stabbed a plastic bottle with his poker and then dropped it in his large black "lawn and leaf" bag.

"Hey Cody," Dan called. "Is this the wrapper you tossed on the ground the other day when we were in town?" He stabbed a Hershey's chocolate bar wrapper and held it up so Cody would see.

"No," Cody said, looking nervously at the wrapper as he recalled the event. He knocked the wrapper off Dan's poker and quickly stuffed it into his own bag. Dan and Zach laughed.

Dan was not as grumpy today as he had been lately. It was his last day of punishment, and he had gotten to go to the party last night. Cody and Zach were counting down the last week of their punishment. Cody was glad he was going back to classes and wouldn't have to be in suspension all day, anymore.

"I am so glad I don't have to see smelly old Miss Shoeberry anymore," said Cody. "I think her smell started rubbing off on me." Cody smelled his arm and made a disgusted face.

"I don't know about you,' said Dan, "but I thought you two made a cute couple." Zach doubled over with laughter.

"Very _funny,_ Dan," Cody said sarcastically as he thrust his poker at Dan. Dan dodged the poker, and threw the damp, dirty newspaper that was stuck to his poker at Cody. It slapped against the leg of his neon orange, jump suit.

"Oh, now you're going to pay," Cody said threateningly. He stabbed a soggy banana peel and chucked it at Dan. Dan tried to dodge it but it ended smacking him right in the back of his head. Dan saw an empty bottle nearby and scooped up some water that was near the curb, in it. Her turned around and threw the water at Cody. Cody ducked, and the water ended up soaking Zach who had been trying to stay out of it. He stared at the wet stain on his suit for a second before saying, "Oh, it's on."

The boys went at each other for about 20 minutes running through the streets chucking any form of garbage in sight. After nailing a poodle with an unidentifiable, very soggy item, the boys called a truce. They continued cleaning up, in their wet, dirty jump suits. When their 5 hours were up, they stayed a little longer, feeling guilty that they had wasted time. The headmaster had to check them off before they could go back to the school, (he asked about the dirty jump suits, but then decided he didn't want to know). When they got back they showered, and washed off their jump suits, before returning them to the headmaster. For the rest of the day they did homework, (Cody had been given work to do in suspension from his teachers), or tried to avoid doing their homework.

"Hey," Jess said as she walked into Dan and Cody's room. "How was community service?"

"Better than suspension," said Cody. Dan and Cody were playing a war game on the Xbox. Jess lay down on the couch behind them.

"Dan," Jess said after a minute of silence, (other than the explosions from the game).

"Yeah," he answered.

"Why does your hair smell like rotten banana?"

"Aw man," Dan said as paused the game. He ran his hand over the back of his head. "I thought I got it all out."

"That doesn't tell me why your hair smells like a smoothie gone wrong."

"Why were you smelling my hair anyway?" he asked as he stood up and looked at her suspiciously.

"I could smell it when I walked in the room. I just realized it was you."

"Cody threw one at me," Dan said as he walked to the bathroom.

"Do I want to know why?" Jess asked looking at Cody.

"He threw a wet newspaper at me," Cody said.

"Dan," Jess said sounding like an angry mother. She turned to face Dan and stared at him. He looked at her from around the door frame of the bathroom, with the back of his head recently soaked.

"He tried to poke me with the garbage, poker, thing," Dan said, defending himself.

Cody was quick to save himself. "Dan said me and Miss Shoeberry would make a good couple."

"Truth hurts, buddy," Jess said.

"Hey!" Cody exclaimed sounding very hurt.

"Anyway," Jess said ignoring Cody. "This was your last day of punishment, right Dan?"

"Yeah," he called from the bathroom where he was soaping down his hair. "Thank, God too. I am so tired of detention it's not even funny."

"We've got some hard core practice ahead of us this week," Jess called back to him. "'cause of the game next Tuesday."

Cody's face fell.

"Oh, shit," Dan said as he dropped something on the floor in the bathroom. "I totally forgot."

"Yeah, well we're all very happy for you," Cody said bitterly as he shut off the Xbox.

"What's your problem?" Dan asked as he came out of the bathroom, drying his hair with a towel.

"Take a wild guess," Cody said as he stood up and walked over to his desk. Jess gave Dan sign that told him he should stop. Dan looked curiously at Cody.

"Your punishment ends next Saturday," Dan said. "You can play on Monday, and Tuesday. What's your deal?"

"Coach'll never let me play," Cody spat at Dan. "Not with only one day of practice after two weeks of suspension."

"Oh," Dan said quietly. He knew that playing in the Season Opener was a big thing, especially for Cody. "Sorry."

"Whatever," Cody said, before turning away.

Jess sat quietly for a minute before going over to the phone and dialing a four digit number.

"Hey," she said into the mouth piece. "Time to call in the cavalry." She hung up the phone.

"Who was that?' Cody asked.

"No one," Jess said innocently.

"It must've been someone," Dan said tossing the towel into the large black hamper next to his wardrobe.

"No one important," Jess said staring into space, as she drifted around the room. Dan tried to look at Cody to see what he thought, but Cody was looking the other way.

As Jess drifted around the room, Cody wrote a letter to his parents, (mostly to say sorry), and Dan continued his Civics homework in silence. About 10 minutes later, there was a knock on the door. Jess jumped up from her spot on the couch, to answer it.

"'Bout time," Jess said to the person at the door. Dan and Cody looked up from what they were to see who it was.

"Nice to see you too, Jess," said the person as they walked into the room. It was Nate. He had a duffle bag over his shoulder that looked quite full.

"He's the cavalry," Cody said pretending to surprised. "Who's the infantry? Zach?"

"No," Jess said as Nate walked into the room and set his bag on the ground. "He's the guns. He doesn't have enough brains to do anything more."

"What do we need cavalry for, anyway?" Dan asked.

Jess grinned and looked at Cody. Cody looked at her confused.

"You always need cavalry for a game of rugby," she said. Cody smiled and shook his head. Nate grinned at him from behind Jess. Dan was still confused.

"Well," said Cody as he stood up, "if you want to get your asses kicked that bad I'll play."

"You talk big, but can you play big?" Jess asked him as she grabbed the rugby ball from Nate's bag and threw it at him. He caught it and said, "Bring it."

The four of them went out to the soccer field and played 2 on 2 rugby. Jess and Dan vs. Nate and Cody. They played pretty rough, but then rugby is a rough sport. Dan had never played rugby before so they went easy on him. He still enjoyed it. During a break in the game, Dan ran over to Jess.

"Why did you call Nate over to play rugby?" he asked. Jess nodded towards Cody who was running towards them. Jess gave Dan a little wave before walking over to talk to Nate. Dan watched her go, getting more confused by the second.

"Uh, Dan," Cody said to get Dan's attention. Dan turned towards him. Cody continued, "I just wanted to say sorry for the way I was earlier. I was just angry."

"Don't worry I get it," said Dan. "I'd be the same way." It was quiet for a minute before Jess called to them.

"Are you love birds done? We'd like to keep the game going."

Nate, who was behind her, laughed. Dan and Cody gave her a dirty look as they walked towards her.

"You shouldn't be fraternizing with the enemy anyway," said Nate as he pulled Cody away from Dan. He whispered some new plays to Cody when they were a couple yards away.

"That's way we play rugby," Jess said to Dan. He turned from looking at Cody to looking at her.

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"Cody's a stuffer. He stuffs all his anger until he pops. The only way to cool him off his to have him hit something. Rugby is a great way to do that."

"Nice."

"Yeah," Jess said. "But now he's cooled off so really stick it to him now."

"Aye, aye," Dan said saluting Jess. They continued playing until it was too dark to see anything. It was quite late when they got back. It seemed like it only took Dan a second to fall asleep.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

The rest of the week went by quickly, compared to last week. Jess had been right about the hard core practice. Coach crushed them into the ground. Dan's legs and butt were so sore Tuesday because of Monday's practice. He could barely walk. Jess didn't seem to be effected by the practices.

"You wimp," she said as Dan limped towards her Tuesday morning at breakfast. "You're worse than Cody."

"Hey," Dan said sounding hurt, "I'm not used to this."

"You'd better get used to it then,' she said. "This won't be the last time it's like this. Coach always freaks out before big game's."

"Good to know," Dan said as he gingerly sat down.

"Need an ass massage," Jess asked as she watched Dan's pain filled face.

"No thanks," he said. "I'm good."

"You'd probably like it," Cody said as he set his over-flowing plate down on the table.

"That's gross," Dan said trying not to look nervous. _Why would he say that? _Dan thought. _Does he know?_

Cody noticed the look on his face. "Calm down, I was kidding," he said as he sat down.

"Apparently you don't know how to kid 'cause we should all be laughing," said Jess.

"You're such a party pooper," said Cody as he stabbed a huge chunk of pancakes and shoved them into his mouth.

The three of them finished eating and headed off to class. The rest of the day was normal until 8th hour. Dan was already sitting at his spot when Cody walked in.

"What's your deal with Jess?" he asked as he sat down next to Dan.

"What do you mean?" Dan asked nervously.

"This morning, when I said you'd like an ass massage from Jess, you got a funny look on your face. It was almost like…" His voice trailed off and he looked at Dan for a moment. "Oh…my….God."

"I know what you're thinking," Dan said hastily, "but that's not it-"

"You like her!" Cody said surprised.

"Shut up!" Dan was getting very nervous now.

"I can't believe it. I know some guys say she's hot, but you!"

"Shut your trap before I shut it for you," Dan said threateningly. "It's not… It's just… I don't know."

"Chill man," Cody said calming down. "I know how you feel. I was just never expecting it to be Jess. But you don't choose who you like."

"Thanks," Dan said still feeling uncomfortable. "Just one problem, Armageddon will come before Jess likes me."

"Don't doubt yourself," Cody said. "Jess has never told anyone but you that story about her mom. All the people that know were either with her during it, like me, or her dad or brother told them. She's never even thought about telling _anyone _other than you."

Dan felt a little better.

"Alright class," Mr. Zit said. "Quiet down."

The rest of class they listened to Mr. Zit talk about engine maintenance.

The week flew by. Cody never really said anything about Dan liking Jess other than the night after he found out, when he asked Dan for a more in depth explanation.

Pretty soon it was the Monday before the game. Cody was so happy to be back at practice he could hardly contain himself. He did around Coach, though, because Coach was so mad at him and Zach. During advanced practice he was a little behind but he caught up soon. Unfortunately, Jess was the one who had to inform Cody, officially that he wasn't playing in the game on Tuesday. He was still disappointed even though he already knew that it would probably happen. Coach still wanted him to suit up and be the water-boy for the day. This would lower his status with the other players. Cody expected it though. He worked hard during practice to show Coach he was still dedicated. It must've worked because Jess told them during dinner that Coach was originally considering having Cody sit out the next game too but, in the end he decided not to.

Before Dan knew it, he was going to sleep with his head full of terrible thoughts about the game tomorrow. _You're gonna loose the game. It's going to be all your fault. Everyone will hate you, especially Jess._

He gave up trying to sleep at 2 in the morning. He got up and went down stairs to the common room, in only his pajama pants. He got a candy bar from the food machine. As he unwrapped it he turned around to look at the whole common room. He jumped out of his skin and dropped his candy bar when he saw someone sitting on the couch watching him. It was Jess. He hadn't seen her until now.

"Jess!" he said. He was no longer uncomfortable with Jess seeing him half naked. She had seen him change in the locker room about a million times now.

"'Bout time you saw me," she said casually. "You walked right past me when you came down here. I knew you weren't intentionally ignoring me."

"Why are you up?" he asked. "You can't be nervous."

"Not really," she said. "I might get a little nervous later but not now. I just woke up and decided to do stuff down here so I wouldn't wake Bee up."

"What exactly are you doing, then?"

"Watching you get a candy bar."

Dan looked curiously at her.

"I just got down here when you came down," she said. "I sat down and then you came."

"So you're not _as _crazy," he said. She laughed. Dan picked up his candy bar and sat down next to her.

"Are your parents coming to watch the game?" Jess asked Dan.

"Yeah," Dan answered. "I'll probably get a lecture about good behavior from my dad, too, so that'll be great."

"If you weren't such a juvenile, you would have these problems."

"I didn't do anything."

"Right."

Dan laughed a little. "What about you?" he asked. "Is your dad coming?"

"Yeah. He's waiting for the hockey team though. He loves hockey so much he could marry it."

That phrase sparked something in Dan's mind.

"I know this is kind of a personal question," he said, "but does your step-dad, like, date and stuff."

"Yeah," she said. "How is that personal?"

"Well, I mean, your mom died and some people wouldn't date after that but some do."

"What are you talking about," Jess said turning to Dan and looking confused. "My dad's never even met my mother."

"He had a kid with her!" Dan said getting really confused himself. "You said your mom had Nate with another guy after you were born."

"Oh," Jess said. "You're talking about Nate's birth dad."

"Who else would I be talking about?"

"My mom left Nate's father about a year after Nate was born. She found out he was having an affair. Mom never dated after that because she believed that, if her choices so far were this bad, she wasn't meant to have a man."

Dan felt like he'd been slapped across the face.

"I guess I forgot to mention that earlier," Jess said with a guilty look on her face.

"Yeah, a little bit," Dan said.

Jess smiled.

"So then who's the 'Dad' you were talking about?" Dan asked.

"Well, after Mom died and I got out of the hospital," Jess explained. "Nate and I were put into an orphanage far away from where we actually lived. On my 11th birthday I ran away and headed back towards home, but I didn't get far. I got sick and had to recover in another small town that was on the way. I stayed there for a while. The sheriff, a young guy 'bout 29 named John Biebe, let me stay with him because he lived alone. I stayed there for 9 months before the orphanage found me. They were going to take me away again. The sheriff had gotten attached to me, so he said he would adopt me if I wanted him to. I told him I was a package deal. That I didn't' go anywhere without my brother. So he adopted us right there. He's been the only real dad Nate and I have ever had."

"That's great," Dan said glad there was a happy ending to Jess's story.

"Yeah," Jess said smiling to herself. "He's been amazing. He even let us move back to our hometown, where he eventually became sheriff. It was one of the best times in my life. I got to see Cody again, and everyone else. I went to the town school for the rest of the year. The next year we took out a huge bank loan and got a scholarship to St. Mary's. Dad doesn't exactly have bucket loads of money. Nate's trip was mostly funded by fundraising they did, and a chip in from Cody's parents."

"My heart warming story for the day," Dan said.

Jess laughed quietly.

"One last question," Dan said. "Shouldn't you and Nate have you're a Dad's last name?"

"We do," she said. "We just chose to also keep our real last name. Legally my last name is Payton-Biebe. But I still just go by Payton. I haven't lived with the name Biebe long enough to call it my own. Nate goes by Finch, his birth name. It was just easier, legally (for my mom), for Nate to keep his dad's last name. He doesn't care though."

"So, anymore things from your past I should know about?" Dan asked jokingly.

"No I think that about covers it," she said grinning. "Well, I'm shot. I think I'm gonna try to get more sleep." She stood up.

"Yeah," Dan said also standing up. "I probably should, too."

Dan spent the rest of the night trying fathom how Jess could be so, _Jess,_ after all she'd been through. _I'm less happy than her and nothing bad ever happened to me._

Dan could help but feel a strong love for his parents at that moment. He felt bad for every time he had taken them for granted.


	11. Meet the Parents

CHAPTER 11 THE GAME

CHAPTER 11 MEET THE PARENTS

Dan's alarm woke him up the next morning. He was surprised he had gotten to sleep with all his nerves. The beginning of the day went pretty normal. He, Cody and Jess went to classes and meals together. They talked about the game a lot. After 8th hour Cody went off to find and talk to his sisters. Dan went back to the room, alone, and showered for the pre-game banquet. When he got out of the shower, he tied the towel around his waist, as usual, and brushed his teeth. He was surprised to here a knock on the door. He opened the door a little and saw one of Cody's blue eyes looking back at him.

"Don't come out," Cody whispered through the crack in the door.

"Why?" Dan asked.

"Just put some clothes on before you come out."

"One problem," Dan hissed back. "I don't have any clothes in here."

"I'll grab you clothes," Cody said. "You're going to where what you showed me the other day, right?"

"Yeah."

The door closed and it was silent for a minute before Cody came back. He slipped Dan's clothes through the crack in the door. They had to open the door a little wider to do so and when they did, Dan saw through the crack, a woman standing in the dorm room. As soon as his clothes were through Dan slammed the door shut._ God I hope she didn't see me, _he thought. He figured the woman was Cody's mother, (he had seen her in pictures before), coming to visit him in his room before the pre-game, Season Opener/Home Opener banquet.

Dan quickly finished brushing his teeth. He dried himself off and flew into his clothes. The banquet required semi-nice dress so he was wearing jeans, a white button-down shirt, and the jacket that normally went with his black suit.

Once he had cleaned the bathroom he opened the door and came out. The woman he had seen before was sitting on Cody's bed looking around at the room. She was kind of short, from what Dan could tell, with bleach blonde hair like Cody's, except hers went down to her waist. She had a warm, but stern face, and Cody's blue eyes. It seemed every single child in the Linstrum family had features just like her.

Dan would've have guessed the man sitting at Cody's desk was Cody's father if he hadn't seen him in pictures before. He was tall, stiff-looking man, with many wrinkles in his face. He had gray hair that was turning white and dark eyes. None of the Linstrum kids looked anything like him, (Dan had seen all of Cody's sisters in pictures before and/or around campus). From what Cody had told him, his father was the money maker. He was the judge in their large town, and he made the most of all the people in town. He made more than Dan's parents. That's why Cody and his sisters were spoiled, but not to spoiled. Cody's mom made sure they didn't get too much. Cody had told Dan that his mom wore the pants in the house, even though she was only a stay-at-home mom.

"Hi," Dan said slightly nervously as he waved at them.

"Hello," Cody's dad said back in a crackly voice. "Judge Robert Linstrum." He stood up and held his hand out to Dan. Dan shook it as he said, "Dan Rattison."

"You don't have to give him the formal name," said Cody who had been going through his wardrobe. "He's just my roommate."

"Quiet, Cody," said Cody's mom. "Alice," she said sweetly as she stood up and held her hand out to Dan. Dan shook it.

"Look at you," she said as she examined Dan and shook her head. "You look like skin and bones. You come down this summer and I'll fill you in."

"Mom," Cody said pleadingly as his face flushed. Dan smiled.

"Quiet," Alice snapped at Cody. She turned back to Dan. "You're welcome at our house anytime."

"Thank you," Dan said. He thought going to Virginia with Cody would be fun, but that was far off.

"Are your parents coming, young man," Cody's dad asked stiffly.

"Yeah," Dan answered quite casually, (at least compared to how he normally acts around stiff people).

"You're playing in the game, right?" asked Alice.

"Yep," Dan said. When he looked over at Cody he saw that he had hung his head.

"Well at least we'll get to see _someone _playing and not just filling water bottles," she snapped at Cody. It was silent for a minute. A knock on the door saved them from anymore anger boiling.

Dan answered the door. It was Jess.

"Hey," she said as she walked in. She was dressed in jeans also, and a button down shirt, but hers was black with a red tank-top under it. She had only buttoned the two middle buttons of her button down shirt so you could see the red shirt.

"Jess!" Alice yelled as she ran over to Jess and squeezed her until her eyes started bulging. Jess hugged her back, (not quite as hard, though).

"It's good to see you too," Jess said.

When Alice released Jess, Judge Robert, walked over to her and patted her on the back.

"My courtroom has been quiet with you gone."

Jess grinned.

"We'd better get ready to go," Cody interrupted. "The banquet starts in 45 minutes."

"Is John here?" Alice asked as she picked up her purse.

"Not yet," Jess answered. "He's going to be a little late. Where are you're parents, Dan?"

"I have to pick them up at the gate," Dan answered.

Dan followed Jess, Cody, and his parents until they were outside of the dorm. Dan went to the front gate while the others went to the rec. building. He didn't have to wait long for his parents. They pulled up in a yellow taxi about two minutes after he sat down at the gate.

"Dan!" his mother screamed as soon as she was out of the car. She ran towards him and threw her arms around him. "I've missed you so much!"

If Dan had been feeling bitter and teenage-like, he probably would have said, (or at least thought) "If you were gonna miss me so much then why did you send me to this school in the first place." But Dan felt great lately. Actually, ever since he had come to this school he had been very positive.

"Yeah, I guess I missed you too," Dan said as he gave his mother a little pat on the back.

"Well, you seem a lot better since the last time I talked to you," said his mother grinning. "Finally got that stick out of your butt."

She liked to make jokes like this with Dan. Anything he threw at her she always managed to throw back at some time or other. Dan's mother was quite young looking. Her hair and face were very similar to Abbey's, just older and wiser. Dan actually looked up to his mom a lot. She was very smart. She had never said or done anything wrong as long as Dan had known.

Dan grinned at his mothers joke. He looked over his mothers shoulder. His dad was unloading the trunk of the cab. There was not much. Just two simple duffel bags, (they were only staying for one night). He tipped the cab driver and he drove away. Dan's father looked at Dan.

"You never got in trouble in public school," he said. "Now we put you in private school for a month and look what you've gotten in to."

Dan's father usually joked quite a bit, but not with Dan. Ever since he declared that Dan had grown up, he almost never joked with Dan. When he did joke with him they were not nice jokes. He was also very stiff with him. Dan missed his old dad.

Dan mother stepped out of the way of Dan and his father. They looked at each other for a minute. Dan saw water quivering at the edge of his father's eyes. Dan's father had never cried, even when he was a fun dad.

"You're father missed you twice as much as I did," Dan's mother whispered in his ear. Dan had never been away from his parents for more than 5 days, (soccer camp).

Dan looked at his father for a second. No matter how much he wanted to, Dan's father would not let the tear in his eye fall. He was too tough for that. Dan took few steps towards his father. His father went the rest of the way. He threw his arms around his son. Dan hugged him back, (he couldn't help but think, _there's a lot of hugging going on today_). After a moment of silence they pulled apart. Dan's father looked at him.

"I'm sorry I've been such an ass to you," he said. "I was in such a hurry to have you grow up. Then when you did, I didn't want you to anymore."

"It's alright, Dad," said Dan. "I forgive you. I think we'd better get going, though. The banquet doesn't start for another forty minutes, but there's no harm in being early. There are some people I want you to meet, anyway."

"O.k.," said Dan's mother happily. Dan's mother and father followed him to the rec. building. Dan's father had his arm around his son's shoulders as Dan told him about all the things happened this year. At the beginning, he was careful to call Jess, his "_other friend."_ At the end, though, he forgot and got carried away and accidentally slipped Jess's name. His mom's sharp ears caught it in a second.

"Jess," Dan's mom said suspiciously, "as in Jessica, as in a girl."

Dan's face was the deepest shade of red it had ever been in his life. "Yes," he whispered under his breath.

"Wait-a-go, Dan," said Dan's father slapping his son's back. "Here a month and you've already got yourself a girlfriend."

"She's not my girlfriend," Dan defended.

"Sure," Dan's father said sarcastically.

"Really-"

"I think you're too young to have a girlfriend, Dan," his mother said nervously.

"Come on, Annie, give him a break, he's 14."

"Exactly," said Dan's mom. "That is way too young to date."

"All the kids are dating at his age these days," Dan's father defended.

"And if all the kids his age were jumping off cliffs, would you let him do it?" (_She had to throw the cliff thing in didn't she,_ Dan thought.)

"SHE'S NOT MY GIRLFRIEND!" Dan yelled finally getting the attention of his parents. "She's just a friend. I swear."

Dan's mother sighed a, somewhat, sigh of relief. "Alright, I believe you. Just please, if you do start dating, please be careful."

"You make it sound like the kids gonna have sex if he starts dating," Dan's father said.

"That's so gross, Dad. Please stop."

The three of them were finally at the rec. building. Dan led them up the stairs and down the hall to the center of the building. It was in the shape of circle. It contained the concession stands and tables for fundraisers and other sponsors who were trying to sell stuff, (they weren't here today, though, because there was no game in the building). Dan led them to a door that led out of the concession area and into room that had comfy chairs and couches everywhere. In the back there was a small kitchen where food was being made at the moment.

"There's my little girl," Dan's father said as he hugged Abbey who had been waiting here for Dan and his parents. Dan's mother hugged Abbey as Dan looked around for Cody and Jess. He saw them sitting on a couch in the middle of the room. Cody's parents were sitting on the couch next to them. Dan walked over to them.

"Hey, guys," he said.

"Hey, Dan," Jess answered.

Dan's parents and Abbey followed Dan over to his friends.

"Hello," Dan's mom said. "I'm Ann, Dan's mom."

"Cody," Cody said as he stood up to shake Ann's hand. He turned to Dan's father.

"James," Dan's father said as he shook Cody's hand. Cody nodded at him.

Jess stood up next. "Jessica Payton." she shook both James' and Ann's hand.

"Jessica," said Ann examining Jess. Apparently, Jess passed the look down test because Ann looked satisfied and asked Jess, "So, why are you here? Do you have a brother in soccer?"

"I have a brother but he's not in soccer. I play soccer with Dan. I'm the captain."

"Captain?" James repeated surprised. "Of the boy's team?"

"Yessir," she said smiling. Dan loved how nothing they said or how they said it affected her. She was still stubborn, proud, and strong.

"Good for you," said Ann patting Jess on the back. "I too believe that girls can so anything guys can do." (Dan saw his mom shoot a glare at his father when she said that.)

"Thanks."

The adults introduced themselves and talked for a minute. Dan and Cody talked too, (about their parents), but Jess didn't say much and kept looking at the door.

"He'll get here, Jess," said Cody. "He wouldn't miss this for the world."

"Yeah, I know," she said. "But I wish he'd get here soon."

They talked for a little longer, (Jess joined in), but after a couple minutes they were interrupted by a deep voice.

"Has anyone seen the captain of this team? I was supposed to meet her 20 minutes ago but, being the ass I am, I was late."

"Dad!" Jess said jumping up and throwing her arms around a tall, muscular man, with longer brown hair that was still and inch off his shoulders. He had a five-o'-clock shadow and soft blue eyes. Jess finally let go of him and Dan saw he was wearing a white button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, and jeans. No coat. This surprised Dan because it was quite cool outside.

"Dad, this Dan," Jess introduced. She pointed to each one as she said their name. "Dan, this is my father, John Biebe."

"It's nice to meet you, sir," Dan said as he shook John's hand.

"Nice to meet you, too," John answered, nicely. He turned back to Jess. "Sorry I'm so late, sweetie. You'd think it's about time I fix that God forsaken truck."

"You always gotta blame the truck, don't you?" Jess mocked as she shook her head. John smiled. After that he went over to talk with the parents. He got about two words in when Coach interrupted him.

"Excuse me, folks. Could I have your attention?"

The room went silent.

"Thank you." He made a speech about how it looked to be a promising year and how excited he was to have his old players back on the team and his new players on the team. He introduced Jess as the captain, (which aroused some whispers), and then finished by saying he wanted to meet the new parents and that they should enjoy the food.

After that, it was like a mad rush to the food line. Dan wouldn't have been surprised if these people had never seen food before. There was plenty to go around. He decided to wait until the rush was over before he went to get his food. While he was waiting, Coach came over.

"Hello, Dan," he said smiling.

"Coach," Dan said giving Coach a nod. He noticed Coach eyeing his parents. "Coach Shananon, these are my parents, James and Ann."

"Nice to meet you," said Coach as he shook each of Dan's parent's hands.

"You too," said James.

"Well, from what I see so far, your son looks to be very promising. I originally wasn't going to put him as one of my assistant captains, because I didn't think he could do it, but Jess here," he pointed to Jess, "convinced me to give him a chance. I'm very glad she did, too. He's improved phenomenally these past weeks."

Dan saw Jess stifling her grin.

"I have high hopes for Dan," Coach finished.

"Oh, come on Coach," Jess joked. "You know the only reason you like Dan is because he got the game winning goal in the scrimmage against St. Christopher's."

Dan grinned.

The rest of the banquet Dan's parents, Cody's parents, and Jess's dad talked, joked, and got to know each other. When the rush was over they went to get some food. When the banquet was over they headed back to the kids dorm room's to talk more and to see the rooms.

At 5:30, Dan, Jess, and Cody left and headed to the locker rooms. It was much quieter in the lockers rooms now, than it had been before their scrimmages. Dan knew it was mostly the new players who were quiet because they were so nervous, like himself. After he had put on his home game uniform he sat at his stall and waited for Coach to come in and give an extravagantly long game day speech. He wrung his hands nervously as he waited.

"You're gonna be fine," said Jess as she looked over at Dan. "You've played amazing in the scrimmages. You'll play amazing today."

"Yeah, but today's not a scrimmage," Dan said coldly, staring at his hands. "Today's the real deal."

"And if you keep thinking like that it's gonna screw up your game," Jess said in a strong voice that was unaffected by Dan's cold one. Dan looked up at her for a second. She had a look on her face that said; _You know I'm right._ Dan smiled and shook his head before turning back to his hands.

A minute later Coach came in. His speech was long and boring and made Dan even more nervous than he was before, (Coach made it sound like it was the end of the world if they lost).

"Alright boy's," he finished dramatically. "It's time."

All the boy's jumped and ran out of the locker room. Dan followed towards the back of the group. They ran out onto the field and began their warm up at their end. It was slowly getting late and the sun was sinking quickly.

At the other end of the field was Stonebrooke Boarding School wearing orange and black. The St. Mary's boys proudly wore the beautiful red, black, and white jerseys. Jess's jersey had a "C" on the chest. The assistant captains had an "A" on theirs. After the warm up, they all circled up around Jess.

"Alright, boys," Jess yelled to her team. "This is it. Let's go out there and show them what we got!"

"YEAH!" they all yelled back to her.

"Team on three," Jess screamed. "Ready, ONE, TWO, THREE."

"TEAM!"

They broke apart and the starters headed out on to the field. Dan ran out to his position as left wing. He looked at his opponent. He was a huge mountain of a boy with arm muscles twice the size of Dan's. This did not improve Dan's nerves.

The coin flip was in SBS's favor. The game started. Everything seemed silent to Dan. He blocked out all the noise around him. His movement was not by his own will. Suddenly the ball was at his feet. Sound came back to Dan's ears. He heard Jess yelling at him.

"The net, Dan! The net! Go to the net!"

Dan snapped entirely back to reality. He began to dribble the ball towards the net. Then, wall appeared in front of him. The mountain of a boy was dead center in front of him. Dan dodged to the right of him. The boy dropped his shoulder and stepped right into Dan. Dan flew through the air, limbs going every which way. He landed hard on the ground and did not get up. The referee blew the whistle. Jess ran over to Dan.

"Dan!" she shook him violently. "Dan! Get up!"

Dan's parents watched from the stands. His mom was on the verge of tears.

"Dan!"


End file.
